Infrastructure Channels Leadership Council, December 2025 - Highlights

This IDC Market Perspective highlights takeaways from the December 2025 session that convened the Infrastructure Channels Leadership Council to assess the current state and future trajectory of IT infrastructure, AI adoption, and partner ecosystems. The Council identified robust market momentum, with IT spending expected to rise and AI, infrastructure modernization, and security remaining top investment priorities. However, the gap between AI ambition and realized business value persists, with most partners and enterprises still early in their AI maturity journey. The session highlighted the critical role of data, networking, and hybrid deployment models in enabling AI value, as well as the disruptive impact of cloud marketplaces on traditional channel economics. Talent shortages and sustainability imperatives emerged as cross-cutting challenges, requiring new approaches to organizational design and business models. The Council's insights coalesce around the need for outcome-driven solutions, resilient infrastructure, and adaptive partner strategies to capture emerging opportunities."The Council's dialogue makes it clear: While AI and infrastructure are fueling unprecedented investment, the winners will be those who bridge the gap between innovation and operational reality. Success in this cycle demands not just technical excellence but also new models for talent, sustainability, and partner collaboration. The industry's next chapter will be written by those who can deliver measurable outcomes, not just promises." - Danielle Ibran, research analyst, Infrastructure Channels and Latin America Partner Ecosystems programs