MSPs don’t need to reinvent themselves to capitalize on AI

MSPs are well positioned to help small businesses adopt AI because they already have something most AI consultants must build from scratch: trust, proximity and knowledge of how the client operates. Jimmy Hatzell, co-founder and CEO of Hatz AI, argues that MSPs increasingly resemble forward-deployed engineers, specialists who stay close to customers and translate raw AI capabilities into workflows that solve real business problems.

That positioning matters because many small businesses are still early in AI adoption. Hatzell notes that only about 30% of small businesses are experimenting with AI, compared with more than 70% of large enterprises. The gap is not necessarily caused by a lack of interest. Many smaller companies simply do not know where to start, and some employees are already experimenting with consumer AI tools on their own, creating potential data and governance risks.

The opportunity for MSPs is to use their existing knowledge of client workflows, bottlenecks and technology environments to identify practical AI use cases. Rather than selling AI features, providers can focus on measurable outcomes such as reducing repetitive work, improving customer response times or automating manual processes. Hatzell argues that the MSPs making the most progress are weaving AI into marketing, sales, support and technical operations instead of treating it as a separate add-on.

For MSPs, the bigger advantage is that AI can become another managed layer of the client environment rather than a one-time project. Providers can help small businesses choose appropriate tools, establish governance and security controls, and continuously optimize how AI is used. That creates a path to new recurring revenue while giving smaller clients access to AI capabilities they are unlikely to build or manage on their own.

Source: ChannelPro Network