The AI Alliance Shift: How 2026 Will Reshape Partner Ecosystems

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, laying the groundwork for broader, more integrated AI ecosystems.
 
This is an optimistic prediction. Multiparty alliances require exceptional leadership, shared understanding of commercial models, regulatory bounds 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 TBR (and broader market) predictions for years. 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.
 
In the below TBR Insights Live session, Principal Analyst & Practice Manager Patrick Heffernan, Principal Analyst & Practice Manager Allan Krans, Principal Analyst Bozhidar Hristov and Principal Analyst Angela Belanger shares an in-depth review of our 2026 Predictions: Alliances & Partnerships special report, 2026 Will be a Pivotal Year as AI Momentum Drives Deeper Ecosystem Alliances. The team discusses how AI-driven sales and marketing will reshape ecosystems, how AI alliances will impact operational technology and what will challenge the scaling of sovereign AI.