The message from Dallas this week was clear: in the AI era, technology matters less than the business outcomes it delivers, and the right partners should be able to prove them.

We joined AVANT's Special Forces Summit 2026 at the Omni Dallas from October 5 to 7. Technology advisors, providers such as AT&T, Zoom and eSentire, and AVANT's leadership compared notes on how AI is changing what organizations can expect from their technology investments. Here is what we brought back for our customers.

Special Forces is AVANT's flagship training event for the technology advisors who help organizations select, buy and manage solutions across connectivity, cloud, security, communications and AI (event site).

The 2026 program listed 160+ sessions and around 47 speakers (ConferenceGrid). AVANT leadership, including CEO and co-founder Ian Kieninger, President Drew Lydecker and CRO Jennifer Gallego, shared the stage with executives from AT&T, Zoom, eSentire, Meter, Expedient and JS Group.

Sessions ran in parallel tracks covering the areas most organizations are investing in right now:

• AI and customer experience, including a hands-on AI Demo Lab showing current contact-center AI in action

• Security, with a focus on protecting existing environments as new tools are added

• Cloud, colocation and marketplaces, including buying through AWS, Azure and Google marketplaces

• Data and planning tools that map a business's current environment before recommending changes

1. Outcomes are the product now

AI has shifted the conversation from features to results. The question to ask of any AI solution is what changes in your business: shorter handle times, fewer manual tasks, faster resolution, lower risk. Ask for a measurable target, and a plan to track it, before you sign.

2. Customer experience is where AI proves itself first

The contact center remains the clearest place to see AI value quickly. The AI Demo Lab showed current CX AI working live rather than on a slide. Agent assist, automated call summaries and self-service that actually resolves issues can produce wins you can measure within a quarter.

3. AI is only as good as the data under it

AI outcomes depend on clean, connected data. Before investing, it pays to understand where your data lives, how it flows and who owns it. Good partners map your current environment first, with tools like AVANT's Pathfinder and Provider Analytics, and only then recommend solutions.

4. Security has to travel with every AI deployment

Every new AI tool widens the attack surface and raises data-governance questions. Security should be planned alongside any AI rollout, not bolted on after it, so the gains you make stay protected.

5. AI runs on infrastructure, and how customers buy it is changing

AI workloads drive demand for cloud, colocation and connectivity, so the foundation still matters. Buying is changing too: one session cited $45B in customer spend through cloud provider marketplaces in 2025, with marketplace deals closing about 40% faster and running about 80% larger (session listing). For many organizations, that means faster procurement and a chance to put existing cloud commitments to work.

6. Speed to value is the new standard

The way solutions are designed and compared is getting faster too. Live, visual solution design is replacing static slide decks, so you can see options side by side and decide in one meeting instead of several. Expect your partners to move quickly and show their work.

The organizations getting the most from AI treat it as a business initiative, not a software purchase. A few practical steps:

• Baseline before you buy. Capture today's metrics so the impact of AI can be shown, not just claimed.

• Plan AI, security and infrastructure together. They succeed or fail as one, so evaluate them as one path to a business goal.

• Start where results are measurable. Customer experience and repetitive internal workflows are proven first steps.

• Plan for adoption, not just go-live. Training, measurement and adjustment after launch are where AI value is won or lost.

Special Forces 2026 made it clear that AI raises the bar for every organization. There are more options and higher expectations than ever, and the winners will be those who turn AI into results they can see on a dashboard.

If you are weighing where AI fits in your business, we would welcome the conversation. A short review of your current environment is the best place to start.

Sources

• Special Forces Summit 2026 event site

• ConferenceGrid: Special Forces Summit 2026 speakers and agenda