GTIA report warns of AI adoption gap in IT channel

GTIA has published a report on AI adoption in the IT channel, examining how IT service providers, vendors and distributors are using AI in practice.

The report, titled AI Adoption in the Channel: What ITSPs Are Actually Doing, What's Working, and Where to Start, adds qualitative findings to GTIA's broader State of the Channel 2026 research. That earlier study found a wide gap between the number of organisations that say they have adopted AI and the number with the structures in place to manage it effectively.

According to GTIA, 97% of organisations surveyed said they had adopted AI. Only 20% said they had governance frameworks, formal policies, adoption processes and commercial strategies sufficient to turn that use into long-term business value.

To explore the reasons for that gap, GTIA commissioned consulting firm AchieveUnite to conduct qualitative interviews during the first quarter of 2026. The interviews covered IT service providers, vendors, distributors, advisers, investors and end customers.

The findings point to a market moving beyond initial AI trials and towards execution. The report covers implementation, governance, workforce readiness, monetisation and customer trust.

Adoption gap

The research suggests many channel companies began using AI before establishing clear operating rules around it. As a result, firms are grappling with internal policy, staff preparation, service delivery models and how to charge for AI-related work.

It also suggests AI use alone does not amount to organisational readiness. For many firms, the issue is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to build the structures needed to use it consistently and commercially.

Carolyn April, Vice President of Research and Market Intelligence at GTIA, said: "AI has rapidly become a business imperative for channel firms, but the path from adoption to business impact is rarely straightforward.

"These interviews revealed how organizations are approaching AI in practice, where they are encountering obstacles and what differentiates firms that are turning AI investments into sustainable business outcomes."

Channel focus

The report is aimed at IT service providers trying to assess their readiness and decide on next steps. It includes self-assessment tools, implementation recommendations and examples drawn from the interview process.

GTIA positions the document as guidance for companies at different stages of AI use. In practice, that means addressing not only technical rollout, but also governance, operating processes and commercial planning.

For managed service providers and other channel businesses, those issues have become more pressing as customers ask for AI-related services while also scrutinising risk. Trust, particularly around how AI is used and governed, emerged as a key theme in the research.

The report also reflects a broader shift in the technology channel. Early attention around AI often centred on experimentation and internal productivity gains, but channel companies are now under pressure to show measurable results and define service offerings that customers will buy.

That creates both commercial opportunity and operational strain. Firms need staff with the right skills, clear decision-making processes and policies for AI use, while also deciding how those services fit into existing support, consulting and security work.

Membership resource

The report is available to GTIA members. The organisation describes itself as a vendor-neutral membership body for the worldwide IT channel, representing professionals across IT service providers, vendors, distributors and related companies.

Its wider State of the Channel research tracks business conditions and strategic priorities in the sector. This latest report narrows the focus to AI and the practical experiences of organisations trying to turn broad uptake into a more structured business approach.

The central finding is that high adoption figures can mask weak organisational preparation.