The traditional IT services business model is facing a fundamental shift as artificial intelligence changes how technology partners deliver projects, develop talent, and generate value for customers.
For Caylent CEO Valerie Henderson, navigating that transformation requires more than introducing AI tools or launching new consulting offerings. It means reconsidering how a services business operates from the ground up.
In an interview with Channel Insider, Henderson discussed how Caylent has approached that challenge, growing rapidly over the past five years while deepening its relationships with AWS and Anthropic.
“The pace of change has never been this fast,” Henderson said, describing the pressure enterprise customers face to demonstrate how AI will reshape their businesses.
Caylent rebuilds its IT services model around AI
Caylent’s transformation has extended beyond its customer-facing services into its internal operations.
Henderson said the company has embedded Anthropic’s Claude throughout its workflows, from initial customer conversations through project delivery and retrospectives. Simultaneously, Caylent has reorganized its teams to reduce silos and become more responsive to customer needs.
“I actually think you have to look inward first before you can actually drive the right messaging and strategy externally,” Henderson said.
That strategy builds on Caylent’s expanding AI investments, including its Anthropic Consulting and Engineering practice, which it launched in 2026. The company has also expanded its services portfolio through acquisitions, including Trek10.
Henderson said acquisitions have provided opportunities to bring AI-native operating practices into the broader organization, while dedicated consulting teams can experiment with different staffing and delivery models.
“I think that’s the future. It’s not the pyramid anymore in services. It just isn’t,” Henderson said. “So it’s going to totally change what companies look like, and, as you would imagine, that changes cost structure, and talent models, and all of that.”
AI skills and forward-deployed engineers reshape hiring
The shift is also changing Caylent’s workforce strategy.
Henderson said the company has more open positions than ever, but the skills required are evolving. Increasingly, Caylent is looking for professionals who combine AI expertise, engineering capabilities, and customer-facing business experience.
Finding that combination remains challenging.
To address the gap, Caylent is developing talent internally through forward-deployed engineering training and programs supported by AWS and Anthropic.
Rather than relying on rigid departmental structures, Henderson envisions a shared talent model that allows employees to develop capabilities across multiple services disciplines.
For other IT services providers, that evolution raises questions about traditional staffing models, career development, and how businesses price and deliver increasingly AI-assisted work.
Enterprise customers demand measurable AI outcomes
Enterprise customers are also becoming more sophisticated about measuring AI investments.
Henderson said early adoption discussions often focused on usage metrics. Now, customers increasingly want evidence that AI reduces development time, limits errors, or improves operational outcomes.
That shift aligns with Caylent research previously covered by Channel Insider, which found that 98% of surveyed enterprise leaders would permit autonomous AI agents in production with appropriate safeguards.
However, Henderson cautioned that businesses cannot transform overnight, particularly when existing customer commitments and active projects limit how quickly operations can change.
Instead, she recommends beginning with specific workflows, learning from implementation, and expanding as capabilities mature.
What IT services providers should prioritize in 2027
Looking ahead, Henderson expects continued demand for AI-enabled software development, workflow automation, and customer support as they move from individual AI capabilities to autonomous agents.
Governance and security will remain essential as businesses expand those deployments.
Still, Henderson believes the differentiator for services partners will be their ability to guide customers through organizational change, rather than simply provide technical implementations.
That includes engaging employees who remain skeptical about AI adoption.
“From the beginning of Caylent, we have always said, we do not do for, we do with, and we will continue to take that perspective and work alongside our customers,” Henderson said.
“I always tell our customers, give me your biggest skeptic. Let us sit with the person who is the most against making this change. And let’s spend a day with them and listen to all of their concerns. I think that that can be a very powerful place to start.”
Her broader message to services providers is that waiting for the market to stabilize is unlikely to be a viable strategy.
“Just take the first step,” Henderson said. “Take the first step and then we can help you with step two, three, so on, and so forth.”