Entries by Bozhidar Hristov, Principal Analyst

Alliances Will Extend Beyond Core Offerings as AI-driven Sales and Marketing Reshape Ecosystems

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IT services companies have their limits, and clients have preferred technology vendors, leading IT services companies to look to alliances to drive new growth. We have seen this pattern before, but in 2026 we will see IT services companies extend those alliances into devices, connectivity and even silicon, requiring a multiparty alliance approach that will strain commercial models, sales strategies and alliance leaders across the ecosystem.

KPMG-Salesforce Partnership: Evolving from Implementation to Agentic Outcome

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KPMG’s alliance with Salesforce has moved from a high-growth implementation practice into a relationship increasingly defined by enterprise trust, measurable outcomes and the ability to operationalize agentic AI. Since entering Salesforce’s ecosystem in late 2019, KPMG has scaled the alliance to over 1,300 practitioners across more than 30 countries and is now repositioning the relationship around Agentforce-led transformation, AI-ready data foundations, and run/optimize operating models that sustain adoption. This shift mirrors a broader ecosystem trend: Leading platforms are prioritizing depth with a smaller set of preferred partners and evaluating alliances on their ability to drive usage, value realization and governance — not simply project throughput.

Agentic AI Adoption Is Pressuring Security Architectures to Converge

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The emerging pattern of multicloud security consolidation has direct implications for both Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft, as enterprises reassess detection pipelines, governance models and operating frameworks heading into 2026. Although AWS remains well positioned in analytics-heavy workloads, the company needs to reevaluate its long-established “building block” approach, especially as peers deliver more integrated platforms. For Microsoft, its strengths will continue to be with organizations where Microsoft 365 already anchors their identity and collaboration strategies.

2026 Predictions: AI Momentum Drives Deeper Ecosystem Alliances

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2026 will be a transitional year defined by technology ecosystem expansions — multiparty alliances spanning IT, OT, devices, edge and silicon; industrial/physical AI acceleration, especially at the edge and in manufacturing; and strategic bottlenecks as skill shortages and infrastructure gaps slow sovereign AI adoption. TBR expects significant changes in how technology vendors collaborate and compete, which lays the groundwork for broader, more integrated AI ecosystems. This is an optimistic prediction. Multiparty alliances require exceptional leadership, shared understanding of commercial models and transparency among partners, and AI aids only the last of these. The human component remains the most significant roadblock. IT-OT convergence and a surge in connected everything have been a TBR (and broader market) prediction for years, and while “signs point to yes,” as the Magic 8 Ball says, 2026 could be another year of disappointing progress, as hype around physical AI could far outpace reality.

EY Reinvents Its People Advisory Services, Leaning on a Single Methodology to Drive Successful Change

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As workforce and employee experience grow increasingly critical in the era of rapid technological advancement, EY’s refreshed approach within People Advisory Services — centered on a unified methodology and a stronger focus on people experience — helps distinguish the firm from its peers and better aligns with technology-driven transformation initiatives. Further, taking a global approach to retraining and methodology creates a more unified approach within the firm to better engage with clients and navigate market change. 

A Challenger Mindset Transforms HCLTech’s Approach to Financial Services to Achieve Success Through AI

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HCLTech has a long history working with AI, building off its DRYiCE platform, the company’s original automation platform. This heritage equips HCLTech with the background and trusted technical expertise, backed by its engineering prowess. to deliver on clients’ AI transformation needs. Further, HCLTech can pursue larger-scale and more aggressive AI-led transformations, helping the company accelerate ahead of its peers in terms of client engagement and growth.

Hitachi Digital Services Brings IT + OT + AI to Mission-critical Systems

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Although smaller than the typical IT and professional services firms covered by TBR, Hitachi Digital Services warrants close attention in the coming years. Its distinctive business model, strategic direction and performance — particularly its combination of IT, OT, AI and domain expertise — position Hitachi Digital Services as a potential outlier in the IT services landscape.

PwC Japan: Trust, Unity and Focus

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On April 15 and 16, PwC Japan hosted over 20 analysts, a partner and PwC executives for a day and a half summit at the company’s Technology Laboratory in Tokyo. Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Innovation Officer Kenji Katsura set the tone when opening the meeting by explaining that over the course of the event attendees would be hearing from leaders across PwC’s businesses — including audit, tax, deals and consulting — highlighting the importance of PwC’s strategy to deliver the full range of the firm’s expertise to clients. While ensuring that PwC’s services remain highly relevant to clients in Japan, the firm’s GTM strategy is closely aligned with its global network. This alignment allows PwC Japan to leverage the best practices and innovations from across the network while also contributing homegrown insights and advancements that can benefit clients worldwide.