AI drives demand for managed services but a skills gap remains

Recent research from security vendor OpenText shows a delta between MSPs’ desire to tap SMB demand for AI-driven applications and their ability to help clients deploy them.

All MSPs are aware of the urgency of upskilling staff on AI. Credit: Tharin kaewkanya/shutterstock.com

Like the cloud before it, deploying AI-driven applications has become a top priority for the enterprise.

For small to medium businesses (SMBs) with fewer resources than their enterprise counterparts, deploying AI may require third party support. Unfortunately, that same resource limitation also plagues many of the managed service providers (MSPs) SMBs seek out for AI support.

Security vendor OpenText’s Global Managed Security Survey of 1,019 MSP security practitioners, IT managers, and customer relationship managers, found that in the coming year 96% expect providers to see growth in demand for their services driven by interest in AI. However, half said a combination of factors leaves them under-prepared to support SMB AI needs, including a lack of internal expertise, too many disparate tools to manage, and the lack of standardisation across different client environments.

AI cybersecurity gap

Fewer than 50% of the surveyed organisations have developed or implemented AI cybersecurity for their clients. That said, the majority are using AI for a variety of customer-facing applications. Some 67% leverage the technology for customer support while 66% percent rely on AI for technical support and triage. More than half- 58% – apply the AI for threat detection and response.

All MSPs are aware of the urgency of upskilling staff on AI, noting it is now the third most important capability behind threat prevention and 24/7 support for its SMB clients. SMBs are seeking out bundled security packages in droves. Some 71% are looking for combined prevention, detection and response solutions. Meanwhile, 41% want endpoint, network and email security offerings.

Most of the surveyed MSPs are on a growth path with 95% expanding their portfolios in the coming year. Integration across discrete tools is of highest importance (38%). While 18% said attach-rate to core services is crucial, 16% cited the criticality of having solutions that work across vertical industries. A proven reputation is essential for MSPs to compete and win new clients and 32% said customer referrals are the primary way to gain new customers while 29% of prospects come to MSPs through digital searches or advertisements.