COMMENTARY: AI is changing many things, and network and IT infrastructure are a part of this. Customers want AI-ready networks and an ROI on them. And this makes it harder for MSPs becasue the conversation ultimately becomes theirs. The opportunity for MSPs here is not just selling smarter networking tools. It is building services around assessment, optimization, monitoring, and ongoing network readiness as customers put more pressure on their infrastructure.
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are on the front lines of solving AI-driven network strain. And it’s already here – almost half (43%) of the 200 technology executives surveyed in the 2026
State of AI for Networking Report already use it across IT operations. As organizations embark on this journey, they’re taking a hard look at their network and IT infrastructure, and many are realizing they may be less AI-ready than they thought.
Customers are now coming to MSPs with the urgent need to build secure and reliable networks that can deliver mission-critical connectivity. Ninety-two percent of executives in the same report say AI is increasing compute and bandwidth demands, pushing this issue into their top concerns. AI workloads require constant data movement and real-time processing, and distributed environments (e.g., edge and cloud) are only increasing this strain. Traditional enterprise networks with siloed data can’t keep up.
There’s no patience for infrastructure lag in this conversation. Customers want AI-ready networks, and they want them now, as 57% of executives expect to see ROI within a few weeks or sooner. To keep up with this demand, MSPs must reframe their role from network operators to AI enablers.
How AI for networking enables AI everywhere
It is no longer enough for MSPs to just deliver basic RMM and change management; they must be strategic advisors. Customers need that support. Every midmarket and enterprise organization is still trying to understand its AI strategy and how it can scale across the organization, and they’re struggling to balance a skills gap and limited internal bandwidth with pressure to deliver fast results.
This provides an opportunity for MSPs to understand their customers’ business models and how they can deliver differentiated managed services that provide tangible technology and business value to customers beyond IT. The main tenets of an MSP's business model remain, but AI will empower the next generation of managed services. It will drive operational excellence through automation, but, more importantly, it will provide opportunities for MSPs to offer differentiated services to enable and support AI-powered use cases that deliver improved business outcomes.
AI is not just increasing demand; for MSPs, it’s becoming part of the solution. With AI-powered networking, the next generation of MSPs has the opportunity to align with broader customer strategies and create new services by optimizing strained enterprise networks with AI and preparing them for new use cases.
An AI-powered network creates an intelligent, self-managing infrastructure, prioritizing integrated platforms and cloud management over point solutions and complexity. This allows MSPs to reduce risk and provide operational efficiencies when managing end-user networks, preparing them to meet the next wave of customer requirements.
MSP Opportunity: The AI-powered network
Organizations are already seeing real benefits and ROI from AI-powered networking, from improved end-user experience (fewer complaints, faster response times) to reduced network downtime and faster incident resolution. AI enables predictive issue detection, automated remediation, and continuous optimization, moving IT from a reactive cost center to a predictive entity.
Security and compliance issues are other top concerns keeping IT leaders up at night, and AI-powered networks give MSPs an avenue to address those concerns, too. According to the same survey, 60% report improved security posture (fewer breaches/faster detection) and 57% report improved compliance or audit readiness with AI-powered networks.
When MSPs deliver AI-driven network management services, they can shift from service-level agreements to outcome-based services, which is the likely future of billing models in the industry. At the same time, it offloads the burden of routine operational onto AI, enabling MSPs to focus on more senior, technical needs and services.
MSPs that adapt will control the AI bandwidth conversation
Network infrastructure is now a fundamental element behind AI success, and MSPs are positioned to ensure that it does not become a limiting factor for customers. MSPs that remain transactional will be bypassed, but those who embrace this challenge will not be intimidated by bandwidth concerns. Instead, they’ll own the conversation, driving more profitable growth, deepening customer relationships, and positioning themselves as indispensable.
AI is redefining who customers trust with critical operations – now is the time for MSPs to step up and stand out.
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