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Kyndryl, Google Cloud Put Generative AI on Front Burner with Expanded Partnership
The companies, which first teamed up in 2021, are taking their work together to a new level with a deep focus on generative AI.
3 Min Read
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Kyndryl and Google Cloud are taking their partnership to the next level with a focus on generative AI.
The companies first teamed up in 2021. At that time, they aimed to train 40 million people on Google Cloud platforms and services, among other goals. Now, they’re expanding to jointly develop what they call “responsible” generative AI capabilities.
To do that, Google Cloud will pair its AI tools, including Gemini, with Kyndryl’s managed services. Along the way, the organizations have defined four specific aims for the expanded partnership:
Delivering AI and data foundation advisory and implementation services: Here, Kyndryl will help customers identify generative AI use cases and data foundations. The MSP also will support businesses launching Google Cloud technology with an eye toward AI-led transformation.
Applying Cortex Framework to enterprise resource planning: Kyndryl will use the Google Cloud Cortex Framework to extract more insight from end users’ enterprise resource planning data on Google Cloud. As with any such “big data” effort, this initiative will capitalize on the findings within customers’ data to recommend ways to boost productivity, innovation and outcomes.
Using Kyndryl’s LLM Operations Framework for generative AI adoption: Next, Kyndryl will make its new Large Language Model Operations Framework available to Google Cloud users. The MSP says this will help it to create solutions that solve common challenges (it didn’t say what kinds) responsibly and more cost effectively.
Increasing expertise for generative AI development: Finally, Kyndryl will bolster expertise in Google Cloud’s generative AI, including Duet AI, across its workforce. To do that, it will increase the training curricula and bootcamps through the Google Cloud Academy for Kyndryl.
Nicolas Sekkaki, global applications, data and AI practice leader at Kyndryl, said that combining the MSP’s “unique perspective” and adherence to responsible AI with Google Cloud’s AI will make a significant difference for end users.
Kyndryl's Nicolas Sekkaki
“Kyndryl understands the complexities in moving a generative AI solution from an idea into production,” Sekkaki said. “…[W]e can quickly and responsibly bring this new generation of AI to customers and drive their business value.”
Yateendar Bollini, director of global consulting partnerships at Google Cloud, agreed.
“Generative AI can fundamentally improve how businesses operate, helping large-scale organizations streamline complex processes and enable their workforces to be more productive,” Bollini said. “Kyndryl will provide enterprise customers with the services expertise and generative AI solutions needed to accelerate business transformation with Gemini on top of the security capabilities and … infrastructure of Google Cloud.”
Generative AI Is Here to Stay
The expanded Kyndryl-Google Cloud partnership comes as generative AI consumes much of the IT indirect channel’s bandwidth. The technology took off in 2023 and shows no signs of abating, either in intensity or frequency of rollouts or in sophistication. As such, MSPs and other partners continue to work to understand how to incorporate generative AI into their operations and business models.
“AI is still in its infancy, so I think most partners are still trying to figure it out,” Peter Kujawa, vice president and general manager at Service Leadership, a ConnectWise solution, recently told Channel Futures. “I’ve seen ‘early adopter’ partners incorporating it into their sales and marketing content generation, but the biggest opportunities are just starting to take hold.”
Kujawa will host a keynote session, Hot Data: More Profit Through AI, at the upcoming Channel Partners Conference & Expo and MSP Summit. As part of that talk, he’ll address how MSPs, especially, stand to make money from generative AI — an evolving aspect of the technology’s promise. Keep in mind that resale is not really on the table. Instead, Kujawa explained, the profit opportunity for MSPs stems from better service gross margin, and lower sales, marketing and operations expenses.
“Those improvements will come from efficiency gains — reducing labor expenses, the largest cost input for any MSP,” Kujawa said.
After that, MSPs should have the tools to more ably spot project and service areas ripe for focus.
“All of this will add up to an opportunity for significantly improved profitability,” Kujawa said.
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