Prior to the Ingram Micro ONE annual flagship conference, Ingram Micro announced a major investment in artificial intelligence. The new Sales Briefing Assistant, the company’s first agentic AI tool, delivers more real-time insights and automation to its Xvantage platform.
But how does the move benefit MSPs? Let’s take a look.
Key Highlights
- First AI Agent Built on Google Gemini: Ingram Micro’s new Sales Briefing Assistant uses Gemini models inside its AI Factory.
- Channel Impact: MSPs can expect smarter, more predictive insights on customer needs and market opportunities through the Xvantage platform.
- AI-first Strategy: The company now runs more than 400 AI models within Xvantage to enhance decision-making and partner engagement.
- Partnership with Google Cloud: Ingram Micro and Google plan to bring Gemini-powered agents to more channel organizations.
What Is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI refers to AI systems that don’t just respond to prompts. They take action autonomously based on goals and context. Unlike chatbots, agentic systems can execute multistep tasks using real-time data.
Multistep functionality is where the magic happens. In the near future, MSPs and their small business clients could leverage AI agents to perform a whole host of “next step” activities. Examples include generating sales reports, setting outreach reminders, composing first draft emails, or suggesting recommended language based on a client’s buying behavior.
How Sales Briefing Assistant Works
Paul Bay
In Ingram Micro’s case, this means the company’s new Sales Briefing Assistant uses Google’s Gemini models to help its global sales team act faster and smarter on behalf of partners. The AI agent continuously analyzes live market data, product trends, and customer signals, then delivers concise, actionable intelligence to sales reps.
That intelligence directly benefits MSPs because it helps their account managers anticipate partner needs, identify upsell or cross-sell opportunities, and tailor recommendations that align with each MSP’s business goals.
Sales Briefing Assistant is the first enterprise-grade AI tool built in Ingram’s AI Factory, combining Google’s Gemini with hundreds of existing in-house models.
“Our goal is to embed intelligence into every interaction, deepening our customer understanding and engagement,” said Ingram Micro CEO Paul Bay in a prepared statement. “We’re creating faster, better ways to deliver value for our team and our customers.”
Why It Matters for MSPs
Rory V. Sanchez
MSPs are still figuring out how to monetize the AI opportunity. That’s where Ingram’s Xvantage AI Factory comes in, said Rory Sanchez, CEO of Florida-based Forthright Technology Partners, Ingram Micro partner and ChannelPro Advisory Group member. “It’s about empowering their partners with access to AI to give you specific and actionable results by embedding intelligence into every interaction.”
For MSPs, this move shows how distributors like Ingram Micro are building upon existing platforms to improve the partner experience. The goal is to provide MSPs with better data, sharper insights, and faster decision-making.
As Gemini models enhance Xvantage, MSPs will gain smarter analytics that highlight client needs, market shifts, and product opportunities. Partners can tailor solutions more effectively, create new service offerings, and move faster when opportunities arise.
Matt Renner
Over time, these same agentic AI capabilities could help MSPs automate daily tasks, such as tracking client renewals, analyzing usage data, or prioritizing leads right within Xvantage.
Google Cloud Chief Revenue Officer Matt Renner echoed that sentiment in the press release, suggesting that this is only the beginning.
“Teams at Ingram Micro are already seeing firsthand the value that AI agents can add,” Renner said. “We look forward to partnering to bring Gemini models and agentic AI to even more organizations.”
Q&A with Ingram Micro Partners
To get some additional perspective on the news, ChannelPro spoke with three active Ingram Micro partners:
- Matthew Nikravesh, CEO and co-founder of New York-based MSP Solarus Technologies
- Guy Baroan, president of New Jersey-based Baroan Technologies
- Peter Fidler, president and founding partner at New York-based WCA Technologies and vice president of IAMCP Americas
Guy Baroan
ChannelPro: How Does This Announcement Fit Into What You’re Seeing with AI Adoption in the Channel?
Baroan: AI is everywhere you look. Having AI available for us in the portal should help with recommendations we may not be thinking of. So I think this is a great add on. AI is supposed to be a great assistant for us, this is certainly that and more.
ChannelPro: How Do Tools Like the New Sales Briefing Assistant Benefit Your Company?
Fidler: We act as a trusted advisor to our clients, and by leveraging real-time market intelligence, we can deliver more predictive insights into how technology may affect their businesses.
Peter Fidler
Ensuring that our solutions align with client needs is always a priority, and this tool can help achieve that efficiently by reducing the time spent researching and verifying information. This capability has the potential not only to strengthen our current processes but also to significantly enhance them.
ChannelPro: What Impact Can a Distributor’s AI-driven Insights Have on Strategy?
Nikravesh: AI-driven insights, if delivered properly and in a timely way, could have a very positive impact on our sales strategy. Ideally, we would have these insights one to two quarters in advance to help us plan. Then we can discuss the insights with our clients. This will also help our clients with budgeting for the additional IT spend.
ChannelPro: How Does This News Change Your Partnership Strategy for 2026?
Fidler: In 2026, our goal is to utilize automation and AI to enhance the solutions we provide to clients and create a more efficient and productive workforce. For over 30 years, Ingram has been a trusted partner, and this news will take that relationship to the next level by helping us uncover blind spots to realign our efforts and address untapped potential or overlooked opportunities.
Matthew Nikravesh
ChannelPro: What Challenges Can Your Business Overcome with This Technology?
Nikravesh: Collecting sales data is a manual process that our account manager performs for each client individually. If it can be automated and delivered to us in an easy-to-use format, it will help accelerate our meetings with clients and in turn accelerate sales.
ChannelPro: If Another MSP Asks You, ‘Why Does This Matters?’ What Would You Tell Them?
Baroan: It shows how much Ingram is willing to do to make sure that all partners working with them are getting the best tools and solutions to leverage. Ingram always goes above and beyond to help the partners succeed. This is just another reason for other MSPs to want to consider working with Ingram. It is a leader and continues to show us why with these types of innovations.
Jonathan Browning is executive director of content and engagement for The ChannelPro Network. He has been a leader in the IT channel for close to a decade and he’s an avid fan and early adopter of technology. He believes that the Managed Services industry is the most important driver of economic growth and human innovation on earth.
Images: iStock
