The pace of technology transformation (and resulting adoption cycles) is speeding up. Arguably the most significant technological shift of our time is Agentic AI optimization and its ability to entirely reshape workflows for businesses, and organizations can no longer ignore this disruption. Similar to how the introduction of the cloud transformed IT services, Agentic AI is poised to fundamentally shift how small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) and managed service providers (MSPs) conduct business and serve clients. In fact, this technology is already streamlining how SMBs and MSPs are driving business growth – with over 50% of SMBs recently reporting that they are experimenting with AI tools, and 91% using the tech now to drive outcomes.

The global managed services market is also growing at a staggering pace and is projected to reach USD 731.08 billion by 2030, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.1% from 2025 to 2030. As part of this shift, MSPs are turning to agent-based automation to keep up with fast-paced growth and mounting customer demands for predictive insights, tailored AI guidance and advanced automation. Businesses that will lead in this next chapter of tech enablement won’t just manage solutions, they’ll orchestrate intelligence. This isn’t just another tech bubble, it’s the Agentic Inflection Point.  

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Introducing: The Managed Intelligence Provider

Leading this shift is an entirely new kind of partner: the Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP). These strategic partners go beyond the traditional MSP model and basic system maintenance by designing and coordinating intelligent workflows, ultimately enabling their clients to deploy AI agents efficiently and uncover new avenues for growth.

So how can businesses take immediate action to evolve into MIPs and maximize their success amidst the Agentic Inflection Point? It takes more than just adopting new tools the moment they hit the market – and there are essential steps businesses should take now to ensure they are able to capitalize on this shift.

A Playbook for Success

Below is a five-step playbook for success in the age of AI – outlining the pillars that are critical to enabling MSPs and SMBs to become not only solution providers, but strategic intelligence partners for their clients.

  • Transform: First and foremost, change comes from the inside. Before deploying AI across clients’ IT environments, organizations must assess their own AI readiness and strategy internally. Rather than aiming for widespread implementations from day one, business leaders should start by identifying key workflows (internal and customer) that can benefit the most from automation, aligning teams on a shared vision for what AI success looks like and ensuring the right data security measures are in place.
  • Buy: Once teams are aligned on strategic goals, MSPs should aim to build a tech stack of AI solutions that is closely aligned with client needs and business goals. For MIPs, buying doesn’t mean purchasing more software. It means closely and cautiously evaluating tools to ensure spend meets benefit.

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  • Build: Once the right AI tools are in place, MIPs must leverage them to build customized agentic workflows (including functions like triaging support tickets, predicting demand, or automating compliance reporting) and dedicating these resources only to where clients need them most.
  • Sell: Bringing intelligent services to the market requires a new approach to pricing, as outdated per-seat models no longer align with the emergence of digital workforces or fully deliver when it comes to ensuring speed, unique insights or business value. As a result, MIPs should look to customize their monetization structure around business outcomes, automation value, or usage-based models. For example, MSPs may want to consider offering Agent-as-a-Service pricing options with access to a curated set of agents tied to their needs, as this shift can aid in building a business that is more scalable to client success.
  • Manage: It’s not enough to simply connect partners with their ideal solutions. Rather,MIPs must manage agentic tools on a consistent basis from a security and governance standpoint, avoiding a ‘set and forget’ approach. Business leaders should also prioritize having the right IT infrastructure in place to ensure they are able to effectively monitor how agents are ingesting client data and operating within their networks.

Capitalizing on the Agentic Shift

Evolution is no longer optional. When it comes to adopting AI and agentic systems, the question for MSPs isn’t “if,” it’s “when.” It’s absolutely vital for MSPs and SMBs to prioritize leaning into this shift (through a measured approach that prioritizes the tools that deliver the most value) in order to avoid being overshadowed by competitors who continue to be early adopters of AI innovations.

For today’s clients, success stems from having the most robust data insights and intelligence to better predict and act. MSPs that succeed in the years ahead will prioritize making this shift to becoming Managed Intelligence Providers and will be able to better deliver cutting-edge agentic insights and automation and become true strategic advisors for their partners. Anyone else will be left behind.

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