GTIA launches Innovate Awards for AI-led IT service

The Global Technology Industry Association has opened applications for the first GTIA Innovate Awards, a new programme recognising IT service providers using artificial intelligence in deployed solutions with measurable business results.

The awards target IT service providers (ITSPs) across the IT channel and are open to both members and non-members. Applications close on April 21, 2026.

There are two categories: Best Internal AI Solution for an ITSP and Best Customer-Facing AI Solution. Entries must be for AI solutions that are deployed and in production, not ideas or pilots, and must include evidence of business impact.

Dan Wensley, Chief Executive Officer of GTIA, said the programme addresses a gap between interest in AI and real-world implementation among service providers.

"Leveraging AI is perhaps the biggest opportunity today for ITSPs, but identifying and implementing real-world solutions has been a challenge," said Dan Wensley, CEO at GTIA. "Through the GTIA Innovate Awards, our goal is to recognize ITSPs that are already achieving measurable results with AI, provide them with a platform to share their success stories, and furnish the wider community with credible, peer-validated proof points for learning and development as this technology continues to mature."

How it works

Finalists in both categories will be selected and given a slot to present their work at ChannelCon 2026 in San Diego. The presentations will be live showcases of the AI solutions.

Winners will be chosen through a combination of expert assessment and voting by ChannelCon 2026 attendees, combining formal judging with peer validation from the channel community.

Each category winner will receive a USD $20,000 cash award and an opportunity to present at a future ChannelCon event. GTIA also plans to produce digital content about each winning AI solution.

Finalists will be recognised through GTIA announcements and media coverage and will be invited to the GTIA Board Chair's Dinner at ChannelCon 2026.

Eligibility and fees

Entry is free for GTIA members. Non-members can enter for USD $195; the fee includes a one-year GTIA ITSP membership and free registration for ChannelCon 2026.

GTIA says the awards are designed to surface use cases with measurable outcomes. Criteria include solutions that address real operational or customer problems, supported by evidence that the AI deployment delivered customer value, efficiency gains, or new revenue.

The awards come as IT service providers face growing customer demand for automation, faster service delivery, and new tools to manage cyber risk and operational workloads. Many have explored AI through chat interfaces, workflow automation, and monitoring tools, though adoption levels and outcome reliability vary widely.

By separating internal solutions from customer-facing ones, the programme makes room for different approaches. Internal deployments can include service desk automation, ticket classification, knowledge-base improvements, or resource planning. Customer-facing work often centres on managed services enhancements, packaged offerings, or AI features embedded in ongoing support relationships.

Channel events are increasingly a venue for vendors and service providers to show deployments that go beyond product demonstrations. GTIA is positioning the Innovate Awards within ChannelCon 2026, where finalists will present to peers, partners, and other industry participants.

GTIA is a vendor-neutral, non-profit membership organisation representing the IT channel, including service providers, vendors, and distributors. It says it represents hundreds of thousands of professionals across more than 2,500 organisations worldwide.

Applications for the GTIA Innovate Awards are open through April 21, 2026, with finalists set to present their AI solutions live at ChannelCon 2026 in San Diego.