Five can’t-miss sessions as GTIA unveils the ChannelCon 2026 Agenda

The Global Technology Industry Association GTIA has released the full agenda for ChannelCon 2026, its flagship IT channel event set for August 3–5 in San Diego. This year’s program highlights a strong focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, partner growth, and workforce transformation across the IT services ecosystem.

Organizers say the agenda is designed to move beyond theory, offering practical strategies that IT service providers, vendors, and consultants can apply immediately after the event.

AI, security, and business transformation take center stage

ChannelCon 2026 will bring together IT service providers, MSPs, distributors, and technology leaders for sessions built around real-world execution rather than abstract discussion.

Across multiple tracks, the conference will focus on how companies can monetize AI, strengthen cybersecurity posture, improve partner ecosystems, and adapt to workforce changes driven by automation and AI agents.

Key themes include moving AI from experimentation to revenue, building resilient security cultures, and improving operational maturity for growing IT businesses.

5 can’t-miss sessions from the ChannelCon 2026 agenda

• MSP AI Evolution: Moving from Prompts to Profit. This session focuses on how managed service providers can move beyond basic AI experimentation and start building actual revenue streams. Speakers will explore real-world examples of AI adoption inside MSP operations, including automation, service delivery improvements, and customer-facing applications.

• AI Regret: Chasing the Hype is Setting You Back Years. This session takes a critical look at rushed AI adoption. It examines common mistakes organizations make when they adopt AI without strategy, governance, or measurable outcomes, and how that can create long-term technical and financial setbacks.

• The Messy Middle: Why Most Partner Programs Stall Before the First Real Deal. Focused on channel partnerships, this session breaks down why many vendor partner programs struggle to move beyond onboarding into actual deal flow. It highlights operational gaps, misaligned incentives, and execution breakdowns.

How I Hacked My Way to Sales Success (and You Can Too). A practical, experience-driven session on modern sales strategies in the IT channel. It covers unconventional approaches to pipeline building, relationship development, and closing deals in competitive markets.

CHRO Fireside Chat: The Channel’s Role in the Evolving Hybrid Workforce (Humans + AI Agents). This discussion explores how HR and leadership teams are adapting to hybrid workplaces where humans and AI agents work side by side. It focuses on workforce design, skills development, and organizational change management.

A conference built for execution, not just insight

ChannelCon 2026 is positioning itself as a “strategy-to-action” event, where attendees can connect AI trends, cybersecurity demands, and business growth challenges directly to operational decisions.

As the event approaches, GTIA is expected to release additional programming details, including workshops, networking sessions, and the Innovate Awards, highlighting real-world AI deployments in the channel.