AI has plenty of promise but most MSPs struggle with where to begin and how to staff up. TD SYNNEX has recognized a real gap: Many partners believe AI is critical, yet lack the talent and template to deploy it.
To bridge that, the distributor launched AI Pioneers, a specialized apprenticeship program in North America. The program recruited 16 interns trained to build real-world AI solutions. Working alongside TD SYNNEX engineers, business mentors, and NVIDIA experts, they developed use cases ranging from hospitality assistants to emergency response systems. The program is embedded in TD SYNNEX’s broader Destination AI strategy, and was introduced at the TD SYNNEX Inspire event in Greenville, SC.
ChannelPro sat down with TD SYNNEX executives Ed Morales and Shannon Cronin to discuss this further. Morales, vice president of high-growth strategic business enablement, and Cronin, director of AI alliances and ecosystem strategy, shared how these efforts translate into practical benefit for MSPs. Here are some highlights from the interview.
ChannelPro: Tell Us a Little About Your Backgrounds.
Morales: I’ve been a musician most of my life. I went to Nashville, TN, to be a songwriter but ended up at an IT company through a friend. Thirty years later, I’m still in the channel. I love distribution, partners, and vendors. AI intrigued me. My goal now is to help partners navigate this complex space, make it simple, and bring it to market.
Ed Morales
Cronin: I was going to be a teacher because I love learning and helping others learn. Instead, I’ve spent 28 years in the industry, mainly in analytics. As AI became more pervasive, I moved into a new role focused on AI enablement and support.
ChannelPro: What’s the Biggest Opportunity AI Creates for MSPs?
Morales: MSPs are the conduit. SMB customers will rely on them to deliver AI capabilities. Our goal is to enable them with the right tools, resources, and capabilities so they can deliver those solutions.
Cronin: We’re bringing in innovative AI software vendors and cloud infrastructure-as-a-service offerings. That diversity helps MSPs expand what they bring to market.
ChannelPro: You Also Introduced the AI Pioneers Internship Program. How Does That Help?
Shannon Cronin
Cronin: We carved it out of our broader internship program and hired 16 AI engineers, DevOps engineers, and data scientists to help fill a skills gap. They worked with TD SYNNEX technical teams and business mentors to build relevant use cases. Partners confirmed those use cases are exactly the kinds of projects they’re tackling today.
ChannelPro: Can You Share an AI Use Case MSPs Could Adopt Quickly?
Morales: One area is data readiness. You can’t deploy AI on old infrastructure. MSPs need to look at the full stack — upgrade infrastructure, align with cloud providers, secure data, and prepare it. We’re working with ISVs to help partners do that, because many aren’t familiar with it. It’s not just deploying AI; it’s rethinking how you support it end to end.
ChannelPro: There’s a Lot of Noise Around AI. How Do You Help MSPs Cut Through It?
Morales: MSPs aren’t all the same. Some focus on infrastructure, others on cloud or security. We help them identify core competencies, find gaps, and add ISVs that bring outcome-based use cases. Customers often don’t know what they need, so pre-packaged solutions are getting the most traction.
ChannelPro: What Advice Would You Give to MSPs Just Getting Started with AI?
Morales: Reach out to your distributor. We understand your business and your SMB customers. They can’t build AI factories on their own. They’ll rely on MSPs. Most of this is going to run on cloud infrastructure, so let us help navigate and simplify the journey.
ChannelPro: What’s Next for the AI Pioneers Program?
Cronin: The first 10-week program wrapped in the spring, and we’ve hired some of those interns. They’re here at Inspire sharing use cases and meeting partners. We’re integrating AI Pioneers into our larger internship program so it becomes repeatable and keeps bringing in new talent.
ChannelPro: Any Final Thoughts on How TD SYNNEX Supports Partners in AI?
Morales: We’re looking for the newest ISVs that can define discrete use cases. Shannon leads that effort.
Cronin: There are many ISVs springing up in AI. We vet them carefully to make sure they’re relevant, channel-friendly, and aligned with broader ecosystem programs. That reduces risk for MSPs and helps them take solutions to market faster.
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