Microsoft's Greater China Chief Partner Officer: The Fundamental Logic of Microsoft's Partner Ecosystem Has Changed in the "Cloud + AI" Era

Deep News12-08 10:51

In a recent discussion, Microsoft's Greater China Chief Partner Officer Qing Xuehui highlighted significant shifts in the company's partner ecosystem due to the "Cloud + AI" era. Previously, Microsoft's ecosystem had high entry barriers, primarily because its product structure in China and globally was relatively simple, focusing on software licensing without complex technical services or post-sale user success. This meant Microsoft required only a few specialized partners to cover local markets. However, the landscape has transformed with the advent of AI.

On one hand, the AI era has accelerated Microsoft's product iteration speed. While updates for Windows and Office used to follow annual cycles, AI-driven advancements now enable near-daily innovations, with new products launching weekly. This demands deeper product and AI expertise from partners to effectively engage with clients. On the other hand, markets like China lead globally in exploring AI application scenarios. Partners lacking AI technical capabilities struggle to discuss use cases or meet customer demands.

These changes have raised Microsoft's expectations for partners. The company is implementing stringent AI service certification standards to identify capable ecosystem players, offering them recommendations and financial incentives to maximize their impact in deploying AI solutions for clients.

Qing emphasized that in the AI era, partners' value lies in ensuring Microsoft's products deliver maximum impact for users—spanning adoption, deployment, implementation, and scaling. Unlike the traditional software model, where partnerships ended post-sale, AI-driven ecosystems revolve around continuous, service-centric cycles. Poor service can lead to project failures and lost opportunities, while excellence fosters broader deployments and enterprise-wide adoption. Only when clients successfully apply and endorse AI can Microsoft's iterative innovations penetrate their systems via partners.

At the recent Microsoft Ignite 2025 conference, Changhong Jiahua was named "Microsoft China Partner of the Year" for its excellence in supporting Chinese enterprises' global expansion and AI innovation. Qing cited Changhong Jiahua as a prime example of an AI-committed, forward-looking partner, calling it "an outstanding representative among Microsoft's ecosystem."

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