Channel Insider recognition highlights Benmalek’s vision in deploying operational AI internally and bringing Agentic AI to the connected physical world at scale
CHICAGO, August 20, 2026 – Aeris, a global leader in IoT connectivity management, security, and connected vehicle programs, today announced that CEO Aziz Benmalek has been named to Channel Insider’s 2026 AI 50, recognizing technology leaders who are driving meaningful innovation and leadership in artificial intelligence across the IT channel.
Benmalek was recognized for his vision and execution in making AI a core part of Aeris’ business and technology strategy, including deploying AI agents across the company and bringing agentic AI capabilities to the connected vehicle and IoT ecosystems.
“The opportunity is not simply using AI to generate information but giving AI the ability to understand what is happening, make decisions, and act,” said Aziz Benmalek, CEO of Aeris. “At Aeris, we are building toward a world where the network becomes an intelligent layer connecting those decisions to the physical systems they ultimately impact.”
Under Benmalek’s leadership, Aeris has embraced an AI-first approach that spans both internal operations and commercial innovation. The company’s AI Intelligence Hub deploys multi-agent systems that autonomously perform system-level root cause analysis across network, vehicle, and application layers, using natural language queries in place of static dashboards. These autonomous agents continuously monitor fleet behavior, diagnose issues in real time, and dramatically reduce Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR). Beyond enabling intelligent connected vehicles, Aeris’ agentic AI layer extends across more than 115 million connected devices, including 41 million eSIMs managed globally. Aeris is bringing natural-language operations, agents, and one unified experience across multiple carrier and connectivity management platforms. This is what differentiates Aeris: not just connectivity deployments at scale, but also intelligent, self-operating infrastructure at scale.
Internally, the company has deployed dozens of AI agents powered by Model Context Protocols (MCPs), connecting proprietary and third-party systems to streamline workflows and accelerate efficiency across the organization.
About Aeris
Aeris is the secure connectivity platform for Physical AI and intelligent IoT devices. It caters to connected cars, drones, autonomous mobility, robotics, utilities, energy, fleet management, logistics, medical devices, and manufacturing. Aeris serves over 7,000 enterprise customers and connects more than 115 million devices worldwide, including 41 million connected vehicles, supported by an ecosystem of 30+ mobile network operators. Enterprises rely on Aeris for the borderless connectivity, embedded security, observability, and proven scale that mission critical Physical AI programs demand.
Media Contacts
Susanna Song, Chief Marketing Officer: Susanna.song@aeris.net
Kevin Petschow: KevinPetschow@guyergroup.com
