Partner Ecosystems in Transition: Highlights from IDC's 4Q25 Partner Advisory Board Session

This IDC Market Note summarizes key themes and insights from the 4Q25 session of IDC's U.K. Partner Advisory Board (PAB). Anonymized quotes capture partner sentiment and provide a lens into ecosystem dynamics in 2026.

Executive snapshot

• Key takeaways

In this Market Note

IDC's Point of View

• Deal cycles fluctuate and customers remain cautious
  • Partners experience volatility and deal unpredictability
  • AI prioritization is real, but buyers are cautious
• AI's impact is transformative for the partner ecosystem
  • "Internal AI first" as a competitive moat
  • AI is changing the economics of service delivery
  • The rise of AI requires partners to transform
• Vendor-partner engagement dynamics need to adapt
  • Vendor programs and badging feel misaligned with partner profitability
  • Cloud marketplaces are moving "into the UI," potentially disintermediating traditional motions

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• Synopsis