Entries by Patrick Heffernan, Practice Manager and Principal Analyst

2026 Predictions: AI Momentum Drives Deeper Ecosystem Alliances

/by

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.

2026 Predictions: Managed Services Shifts from Delivery Model to Growth Engine

/by

The smartest IT services companies and consultancies will act on managed services as an entrée to consulting, a complete reversal of the traditional consulting to implementation to managed services model. Everyone should benefit from the increased demand for consulting in 2026. Still, most of the top IT services companies and consultancies will leverage their managed services relationships to capture new opportunities and further cement their stickiness with clients.

HCLTech Heads into 2026 with AI Advantages

/by

Aligning alliance, acquisition and industry strategies around AI and then executing on that alignment should be one of HCLTech’s strengths. Taking full advantage of the breadth and depth of HCLTech’s AI Foundry should be another. HCLTech’s efforts in these areas have positioned it well in a wildly fluctuating market. TBR has written extensively about challenges in the AI space, particularly for IT services companies and consultancies. Based on TBR’s research, 2026 should be a pivotal year for HCLTech.

Fujitsu Showcases Smart GTM Plays, AI-ready Talent and Long-term Sustainability Efforts

/by

TBR believes critical next steps to growth for Fujitsu, perhaps at a faster pace over the next five years, are developing repeatable, IP-driven solutions, learning to compete with fewer employees and more AI agents, and leveraging a scrappy mentality. Finding the right messaging around Uvance, embedding sustainability across all engagements, and increasingly leveraging internal supply chain and cybersecurity expertise to support client-facing opportunities will round out Fujitsu’s strategy. It is no small task, but the company has positioned itself well, as TBR has noted repeatedly over the last few years.

Partnerships, Not Products, Will Define How Consultancies and Native AI Companies Share Value in Agentic AI Era

/by

Just like supporting startup programs, many traditional IT services companies and consultancies have struggled to adequately put themselves in their alliance partners’ shoes. And when those partners are startups or immature native AI companies, that struggle will be harder in the absence of leadership, strategic direction and sustained investment. But that’s the potential downside. The upside is that consultancies are perfectly positioned to be change management specialists, helping their largest clients adopt the best new AI.

In Fast-evolving AI Markets, Platform Alignment Determines Who Keeps the Customer

/by

The speed of technology change and challenges adapting to business model changes drive the importance of platforms. The rapid developments in AI, most recently with agentic solutions, illustrate how being a platform company enables vendors to maintain a solutioning role even as technology evolves, and new participants become critical in the eyes of customers. Agentic solutions have also created myriad ways for companies to sustain their business models, acting as a conduit between end customers and the changing vendor landscape.

Human Capital Management in the Age of (Agentic) AI

/by

Fundamentally HR management remains a back-office function that IT services companies and consultancies can use to drive managed services engagements. And TBR’s research shows that managed services can lead to additional consulting opportunities, particularly when managed services providers (whether a traditional IT services company or consultancy) partners smartly with technology companies, leveraging the data and insights generated through back-office platforms to uncover issues and opportunities.

PwC Positions AI, Industry Depth and Microsoft Partnership as Catalysts for Asia Pacific Momentum

/by

Singapore event highlights PwC’s regional momentum, client impact and focus on AI-driven transformation In early August PwC hosted clients, analysts and technology partners in Singapore for an in-person update on the firm’s activities in the Asia Pacific region, with a focus on PwC’s partnership with Microsoft. Among the PwC leaders who spoke were Charles Loh, […]

GenAI Outcomes or Autonomous AI Architecture: Where Should CIOs Focus? 

/by

What good are AI-enabled solutions if an enterprise’s IT environment and architecture can’t handle the data orchestration demands and IT becomes a roadblock to faster, better, clearer insights from AI, rather than the business accelerator expected of IT departments in the AI era? After more than a decade of consultancies and IT services companies helping IT departments become business drivers, will inadequate architecture slow down AI adoption and AI agents at scale?