Video: Q4 and 2025 Annual IT Channel Recap: AI, VMware, Security & 2026 Outlook

In this Channel Insider Q4 and 2025 and Annual IT Channel Recap, host Katie Bavoso is joined by the Channel Insider editorial team—Victoria Durgin, Jordan Smith, and Luis Millares—to break down the biggest IT channel stories, trends, and turning points from 2025, plus their early predictions for what’s ahead in 2026.

From VMware and Broadcom partner shakeups to AI maturity, governance, security, major tech layoffs, CMMC 2.0 enforcement, and the evolving role of MSPs, this episode delivers a comprehensive look at how the channel is changing—and what partners need to prepare for the new year. 

Whether you’re an MSP, vendor, distributor, or channel strategist, this episode covers the insights that shaped 2025 and will influence decisions in the year ahead.

Topics & Time Codes 

00:00 – Welcome & Q4 2025 channel overview 

01:25 – Introducing Channel Insider writer Luis Millares 

04:50 – Executive leadership shifts and vendor changes 

06:34 – VMware & Broadcom partner program impact 

11:51 – Partner-to-partner collaboration trends 

12:13 – Veeam + ServiceNow partnership explained 

13:36 – AI in the channel: from hype to execution 

14:24 – Generative AI, agents, and enterprise adoption 

16:20 – AI governance, trust, and compliance concerns 

18:28 – Is there an AI bubble—or an “AI balloon”? 

21:57 – Security, AI threats, and regulatory pressure 

24:00 – CMMC 2.0 enforcement timeline and opportunities 

26:26 – AI-powered cyber threats and Zero Trust 

29:31 – Data sovereignty and cloud compliance trends 

31:06 – Major tech layoffs: causes and channel impact

37:09 – How partners are choosing vendors in 2025 

38:59 – MSP evolution and the rise of advisory services 

44:12 – Channel Insider highlights & proudest moments 

48:36 – Favorite stories and standout interviews of 2025 

55:20 – 2026 predictions: AI, security, compliance & more 

59:01 – The channel’s growing role in the IT ecosystem