Abstract
I recently attended the MSP Summit 2025 in Orlando, three days of keynotes, workshops, and an expo focused on how managed service providers (MSPs) are adopting AI and cybersecurity. While the MSP space was new to me, it was clear that AI is moving from hype to practice, reshaping service delivery and creating new opportunities.
AI as the New Cloud
One workshop compared AI to the early days of cloud: those who standardized early built market leadership. MSPs were urged to:
- Start with narrow AI use cases and expand over time.
- Monetize AI as premium services, not giveaways.
- Train staff as AI champions and demonstrate quick wins to clients.
The message was simple: your clients are already experimenting, guide them before someone else does.
Practical Stories from the Field
A panel of MSP leaders shared how they are applying AI today:
- Service Desk Automation: AI chatbots and “war room” automation reduced ticket volume by 80% in one case.
- Predictive Maintenance: Anticipating incidents before they impact customers.
- AI-Driven Security: Smarter SOCs reducing false positives and boosting analyst productivity.
The takeaway? AI works best when it solves real problems, not when it’s sold on buzzwords.
Looking Ahead: Future Disruption
Sessions on the technology forecast and vendor strategies reinforced that AI is only the beginning. Quantum computing, edge infrastructure, and tighter security will reshape MSP services by 2026 and beyond. Microsoft emphasized SMBs as the fastest-growing AI market, with “frontier firms” scaling via AI agents rather than headcount. Often, this means reallocating and training existing headcount and not losing that domain knowledge by downsizing first. Ingram Micro shared that over 400 AI/ML models are already in production within their ecosystem.
Orlando Highlights
The conference was hosted at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort, a beautiful venue, even though we didn’t stay there this time. My family joined me for the trip. We spent a couple of days together at some parks and shopping before the event, and they enjoyed the parks while I attended sessions. The expo floor added a fun element too, with plenty of swag to bring home.
Closing Thoughts
Attending MSP Summit 2025 gave me a fresh perspective on where the MSP industry is headed, especially around AI adoption. It was encouraging to see how quickly ideas are moving from concept to practice and to connect with leaders shaping that future.
We left Orlando with follow-ups scheduled and new ideas to apply to our own work. As AI practitioners and Service Management consultants, we are available to mentor, guide, and enable MSPs through their AI journey. To see how we’re approaching AI in service management, visit us at QuantumAdvantage AI.
Matt Pitts, Sr Architect
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