Dell’s 2026 Partner Program Overhaul: AI Incentives, Co‑Sell Model, and an Agentic AI Channel Platform

The revamped program introduces two new incentive schemes tied to selected products and account performance, with the new structure expected to launch in August 2026.

Instead of rewarding partners mainly for volume or tier status, Dell is emphasizing focus‑product rebates and account‑based incentives tied to priority solution areas.

These rebates are designed to encourage partners to sell offerings Dell views as strategic growth engines, including platforms for:

• Private and hybrid cloud infrastructure
• AI infrastructure and automation platforms
• Cyber‑resilience and data protection solutions

By aligning incentives with these product categories, Dell is steering its partner ecosystem toward solution outcomes rather than transactional product sales.

A New Co‑Sell Model for Advisors and Systems Integrators

Another major change is a dedicated engagement path for technology advisors and systems integrators (SIs).

Historically, these firms often influenced deals but did not directly participate in Dell’s channel sales motion. The new framework allows them to co‑sell opportunities alongside Dell, rather than simply referring or advising on deals.

This shift recognizes the growing role advisors and SIs play in enterprise transformation projects, particularly around AI adoption and complex hybrid infrastructure. Dell executives say partners are increasingly driving the customer relationship, which requires deeper collaboration across the ecosystem.

An Agentic‑AI Platform for Faster Channel Sales

A central element of the update is a new AI‑driven partner hub built around agentic‑AI capabilities.

The platform unifies several channel processes into one system, including:

• Demand signals and account insights
• Sales collaboration with Dell teams
• Deal registration
• Pricing and quoting tools

Dell says the system will automate or accelerate many manual channel tasks. For example, deal registration and approvals can be processed far more quickly, while partners can generate dynamic, real‑time pricing and quotes directly within the platform.

The goal is to reduce friction in channel sales and allow partners to respond to opportunities faster.

How It Connects to Dell’s AI Factory Strategy

The partner changes are tightly linked to Dell’s broader AI Factory strategy, which focuses on delivering end‑to‑end infrastructure and tooling for enterprise AI deployments.

At the same event, Dell expanded its AI Factory with NVIDIA, emphasizing production‑ready AI systems that can scale from deskside environments to data‑center infrastructure.

Because many AI deployments require complex architecture, integration, and data‑pipeline work, Dell expects partners—especially systems integrators—to play a central role in delivering these projects.

Supporting Cyber Resilience and Cloud Modernization

The partner updates also align with Dell’s push into cyber resilience and modern infrastructure platforms.

Dell has been expanding security and resilience features designed to help organizations protect and recover critical systems in an era of AI‑driven threats and evolving cyber risks.

Channel partners are expected to package these capabilities into broader transformation projects, such as:

• Hybrid and private cloud deployments
• Data platforms and AI workloads
• Secure infrastructure modernization

The Bigger Shift: From Resellers to Ecosystem Builders

Taken together, the changes reflect a strategic shift in Dell’s channel philosophy.

Instead of focusing primarily on product resale, the company is positioning partners as solution architects and ecosystem collaborators who help customers deploy AI infrastructure, modernize data platforms, and strengthen cyber resilience.

With richer incentives, a new co‑selling model, and an AI‑powered partner platform, Dell is effectively redesigning its channel program for the AI‑driven enterprise IT market—where success increasingly depends on complex solutions delivered by an integrated partner ecosystem.