MSPs eye long-term gains in AI – a roundtable hosted by CRN and Arrow

MSPs strategise beyond AI resell, focusing on service layers and long-term client relationships

On the evening of 25 September, a group of industry leaders gathered at the historic Merchant Taylors’ Hall in the City of London for a roundtable dinner hosted by CRN in partnership with Arrow.

The elegant setting provided the backdrop for an engaging discussion on the critical topics of data infrastructures, Azure, and generative AI.

Attendees represented key players in the MSP landscape, including Transputec, Cisillion, Six Degrees, Claranet, Cloud Bridge, Core Technology Systems, Cybercrows, Digital Space, Fordway, Modern Networks, IT Builder, Pro Drive, and Sharp IT.

The select group of experts explored how these rapidly evolving technologies are shaping business strategies and the future of IT services.

The conversation quickly focused on how MSPs are positioning themselves to find value beyond the mere reselling of AI tools like Copilot licenses.

While many MSPs have started offering these licenses, there remains a challenge: developing a services layer that can wrap around such AI offerings to truly enhance their value.

A consensus emerged that this requires a strategic approach, with some MSPs already finding opportunities to develop custom chatbots and AI-centric solutions.

Those with an established data practice are often stepping into advisory roles, helping clients identify AI use cases and prepare their infrastructures for these emerging technologies.

However, it was noted that much of this advisory work is relationship-focused and not always directly revenue-generating.

One of the key themes of the discussion was the long-term opportunity for MSPs amidst the "gold rush" for AI adoption.

With end users rapidly adopting AI technologies, they are simultaneously building up potentially complex legacy architectures.

One attendee suggested that will likely be called upon to address these evolving needs, making it crucial to invest in relationship-building now.

Establishing themselves as trusted advisors will position MSPs to handle the future demand for support and transformation as AI infrastructures mature and require more nuanced managed services.