Lenovo pushes channel into enterprise hybrid AI services

By Rebecca Stone

Lenovo Asia Pacific chief commercial officer Sumir Bhatia said selected artificial intelligence (AI) Express configurations can ship in 15 to 25 days, depending on the graphics processing unit (GPU). He said: “Depending on which GPU, anywhere from 15 to 25 days being shipped. Unheard of.”

According to Bhatia, Lenovo introduced Top Choice Express a few months earlier to ship some configurations within 10 working days. AI Express followed in September with selected models in small, medium and large configurations, Bhatia said. Both programs address supply delays that otherwise can add months to on-premises deployments, according to Bhatia.

What changed for channel partners?

Lenovo believes channel partners have shifted from infrastructure-led selling toward services, customer outcomes and expansion of existing relationships, Bhatia said. The partner role now extends from hardware delivery to business outcomes, he said.

Historically, a partner could earn money by selling personal computers (PCs), servers, storage and networking hardware, staying closely aligned with one vendor and leaving after each project, Bhatia said. Partners now seek more value from each customer and seek to expand solutions already built into those relationships, he said. Lenovo gives device-focused partners a route into AI through a complete end-to-end offering, Bhatia said.

The buying question has shifted from infrastructure to the customer’s solution, Bhatia said. Services now form a larger partner focus, while hardware remains the entry point. Customer demand for AI, edge computing (processing near customer sites), servers and related solutions gives partners a route beyond traditional infrastructure sales, Bhatia said.

Why is hybrid AI central?

AI discussions now focus on governance (controls over model use), return on investment (financial return) and token costs (charges for model use), rather than treating deployment as an end in itself, Bhatia said. Organisations require measurable business outcomes from AI projects, he said.

Lenovo divides AI into personal, enterprise and public models, Bhatia said. His hybrid AI model (personal AI connected into enterprise systems) combines those environments. He said: “Where we’re going is bringing all of this together in a hybrid environment. You’re not just going to use personal AI if it doesn’t connect into the enterprise.”

Chief information officers (CIOs) want public AI capabilities inside their organisations while delivering productivity gains to employees, Bhatia said. According to Lenovo, its AI Library, which supports customer use-case implementation, and associated services provide routes for AI deployment.

How are supply constraints affecting deployments?

Hardware shortages can stall AI projects, particularly when customers lack infrastructure for on-premises installations (deployments at customer sites), Bhatia said. Waiting months for equipment can prevent partners from supporting otherwise ready customer projects, he said.

Top Choice Express addresses part of that problem through 10-working-day shipments on some configurations, Bhatia said. He described the program as successful and said the channel welcomed it. AI Express extends the response to selected models in small, medium and large configurations, Bhatia said.

Depending on the GPU, AI Express shipments can take 15 to 25 days, according to Bhatia. The program allows partners to support customers that would otherwise wait months for on-premises hardware, he said.

What support is Lenovo providing?

Lenovo has several channel-enablement programs, including partner enablement and documentation, Bhatia said. One of the first AI Express orders came from an Australian partner within a few hours of launch, he said.

Lenovo has also identified focus partners, Bhatia said. He said the company can provide complete end-to-end capability and bring that offering to customers through the full AI journey. The partner opportunity is expanding as customers request broader AI support, he said.

Partners that make the transition can become disruptors and remain at the forefront of customers’ AI journeys, Bhatia said. Lenovo’s end-to-end capability gives hardware-focused partners a route into enterprise hybrid AI services without leaving the customer relationship, he said.

What remains after the leadership change?

Bhatia said partner support remains in place after the September departure of Pam Caldwell, Lenovo’s head of sales operations for Australia and New Zealand. The company continues to add resources and invest in partner enablement, he said.

Internal teams are adapting to AI’s direction through reskilling enablement, and Lenovo is extending training and new investments both internally and externally, Bhatia said. These measures are intended to help partners and customers respond as AI advances, he said.