Shane Gibson to Keynote ChannelNEXT26 Central on AI, Sales Leadership, and Growth in the IT Channel

ChannelNEXT26 Central will spotlight how AI is reshaping MSP sales, customer conversations, and frontline revenue execution in the channel.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, April 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Artificial intelligence is changing how managed service providers, VARs, channel vendors, and sales leaders approach customer acquisition, account growth, and frontline selling. That shift will be a central focus at ChannelNEXT26 Central, taking place May 28, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. through May 29, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. at The Old Mill Toronto in Toronto, Ontario. ChannelNEXT says its 24th year will focus on business growth in an AI-driven market, with conference themes including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and channel opportunity.

One of the featured keynote sessions will be delivered by Shane Gibson, sales speaker, author, and founder of The Professional Sales Academy. His keynote, “The AI-Equipped MSP: Selling, Leading, and Winning in an Agentic Channel Economy,” will examine how AI is affecting the way channel firms sell, lead, and build trust with increasingly informed buyers.

What distinguishes Gibson’s perspective is his work at the intersection of AI, sales enablement, frontline sales leadership, social selling, and sales process execution. Rather than approaching AI as a standalone technology trend, his keynote focuses on how revenue teams apply it in the real world across prospecting, CRM workflows, coaching, follow-up, account development, and customer conversations.

Gibson’s keynote will focus on how AI-assisted buying is changing customer expectations, what agentic selling means for prospecting and account growth, why emotional intelligence matters more as automation expands, and why strong sales process and frontline execution remain critical in an AI-influenced market. The session reflects a broader ChannelNEXT agenda that includes AI adoption, AI workflows, privacy and compliance, cyber risk, and opportunities for channel firms to monetize AI-related services.

“AI is not making human selling irrelevant. It is raising the standard. The firms that win will be the ones that combine AI with discipline, relevance, and the kind of real business conversations that build trust.” - Shane Gibson

For MSPs, MSSPs, IT consultants, cybersecurity providers, and channel vendors, the keynote is expected to offer a practical look at how AI is affecting sales now and what leaders need to do to adapt.

About Shane Gibson & The Professional Sales Academy
Shane Gibson is an international sales and AI speaker, trainer, and author focused on AI for sales, B2B selling, social selling, sales playbook development, and sales performance. His work helps organizations strengthen modern sales execution and equip revenue teams to compete in fast-changing markets.

About ChannelNEXT
ChannelNEXT is a long-running Canadian channel conference series focused on helping partners and vendors connect, collaborate, and grow through practical insight on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and business strategy. ChannelNEXT26 Central is part of the conference’s 24th year.

Shane Gibson
Sales Academy Inc.
+1 604-351-2328
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Sales Acceleration in the era of AI - Shane Gibson, Keynote AI Seminar

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