TBR Talks: Decoding Strategies and Ecosystems of the Globe's Top Tech Firms

TBR Senior Analyst Ben Carbonneau breaks down why he believes AI PCs will evolve from early-stage adoption to full-market dominance within the next decade and discusses the role Microsoft and Windows on ARM will play, how collaboration across the ecosystem could reshape competition, and why “prioritization for premiumization” may become the defining strategy for vendors heading into 2026. Additionally, from AI adoption at the edge and ROI-driven use cases, to the ripple effects of data center modernization and VMware decision making, TBR Principal Analyst Angela Lambert discusses how changing customer expectations will influence demand across the infrastructure stack in the new year. She also weighs in on the modernization versus transformation debate, shifts in AI-accelerated server investment, and which vendors — from silicon providers to OEMs — are best positioned to lead in 2026.

Digital Transformation Principal Analyst Bozhidar Hristov unpacks TBR’s predictions for the next three to five years of change in the IT services market. The conversation explores a fundamental shift underway in managed services: from a cost-optimization and labor-arbitrage model to a growth-oriented, insight-driven entry point for consulting, integration and modernization services. Boz explains why managed services are increasingly becoming a “door opener” rather than a back-end support function and examines why this pivot has been difficult for many consultancies to execute.

TBR’s ecosystem intelligence experts break down 2026 predictions for alliances and partnerships across cloud, software, infrastructure and the rapidly evolving edge ecosystem. The team dives into the resurgence of enterprise edge, why AI is accelerating demand for edge deployments, and how systems integrators and OEMs are redefining orchestration, commercial models, and partner engagement as infrastructure and platforms become tightly integrated.

TBR Cloud & Software Senior Analyst Alex Demeule discusses which SaaS incumbents are best positioned to execute a true hard pivot toward AI, highlighting how workforce restructuring, sales realignment and platform modernization at vendors like Salesforce, SAP and Microsoft reveal early signs of strategic transformation. Additionally, this conversation explores the growing tension between general-purpose large language models and specialized small language models, digging into the economics, power constraints, and architectural trade-offs that will define enterprise-grade AI applications.

This conversation explores the big agenda items shaping the 2026 telecom landscape: the integration of 6G into market forecasts, edge computing’s renewed relevance, the energy problem slowing scale, and how previously hyped technologies like blockchain and the metaverse may be poised for resurgence.

As we close out 2025, “TBR Talks” host Patrick Heffernan and producer and TBR Marketing Coordinator & Account Executive Haley Demers sit down for a candid, end-of-year retrospective and a sneak peek at what listeners can expect in the new year. Additionally, the pair unpack the podcast’s growth, with nearly half of this season’s conversations featuring voices from outside TBR, and share a behind-the-scenes view of the show. They also discuss how those external perspectives have broadened the scope of the dialogue; how the show has evolved as listeners began to proactively reach out, asking to participate; and the unexpected value that emerged when technology-focused discussions turned personal.

TBR Digital Transformation Principal Analyst Boz Hristov joins host Patrick Heffernan in this episode to detail Infosys’ key points from Infosys Americas Confluence 2025. Boz shares his insights into Infosys’ strategy changes and why clients choose Infosys, and looks at whether Infosys has figured out the staffing model of the future.

Batia Stein, managing partner at EY Law and partner at EY People Advisory Services, and Chris Gordon, Canada region leader at EY People Advisory Services Tax, join “TBR Talks” host Patrick Heffernan for a discussion on EY’s AI strategy for its People Advisory Services practice. Stein and Gordon detail EY’s approach to automation in the tax and audit divisions within EY, and the trio also shares their thoughts on immigration, cybersecurity, data privacy and data sovereignty, as well as tax, HR and what the future may hold.

IT Infrastructure Principal Analyst Angela Lambert and Senior Analyst and NVIDIA research lead Ben Carbonneau join “TBR Talks” to share key takeaways and insights into NVIDIA’s strategies for 2026 and beyond. Recently, “TBR Talks” host Patrick Heffernan met with executives and others within the GPU ecosystem at NVIDIA GTC, and on this episode, all three analysts share their thoughts on partnerships, business strategy and growth for the leading GPU firm.

Senior Analyst Ben Carbonneau and Principal Analyst Angela Lambert review Lenovo’s 2025 Global Industry Analyst Conference, where Lenovo provided updates on its overall strategy and ambitions to shift its perception from a PC vendor to a full-stack, end-to-end solution provider. The pair discusses the event’s AI strategy announcement, how this year’s GIAC differed from past years and where Lenovo is differentiating itself from peers.

A mix of retrospective and forward-looking thoughts about 2026 and beyond, this episode offers insights into what the team got right in their predictions for 2025 and what they anticipate will come next. AI servers, unified data, AI services, strategy consulting and how AI is impacting the services business model are all topics on the table.