What Microsoft is Telling Partners About AI in 2026 | Cecilia Flombaum, Microsoft | Episode 326

In this episode of PartnerTalks, host Rick McCutcheon speaks with Cecilia Flombaum, Ecosystem Lead for Business & Industry Solutions at Microsoft, about how AI is fundamentally reshaping the role of Partners in enterprise technology adoption. Flombaum explains why AI differs from previous platform shifts such as the move from on-premises systems to the cloud. While earlier transitions primarily changed where software operates, AI is transforming how organizations work, make decisions, and structure business processes. As adoption accelerates, many companies are discovering that implementing AI tools alone does not automatically deliver business outcomes. Instead, success depends on adapting workflows, governance models, and operational practices to support probabilistic systems. Tune in to learn why AI adoption is redefining implementation strategy, how Partners can support customers through operational transformation, and why interdisciplinary expertise is becoming essential in the Microsoft ecosystem. (Originally Aired February 13, 2026)