In a recent survey conducted by OpenText Cybersecurity, over 1,000 managed service providers (MSPs) reported that 92% are experiencing business growth driven by interest in artificial intelligence. However, fewer than half of these MSPs feel fully prepared to guide their customers in implementing AI tools, particularly in deploying autonomous agents. This marks a significant decrease from 90% readiness reported last year. The survey highlights a growing demand for bundled security solutions, with 71% of MSPs noting that small and medium-sized business clients prefer all-in-one packages. Additionally, 95% of MSPs plan to expand their service offerings within the next year, emphasizing the need for services that integrate easily with existing technology stacks. This information is further supported by findings from the 2025 OpenText Partner Ecosystem Multiplier study, which indicates that partners focusing on service expansion can significantly boost revenue.
Why do we care?
Customers are asking about AI, but most MSPs don’t feel ready to deliver it—and honestly, that’s the right instinct. The more you learn about deploying autonomous agents and real AI workflows, the more you realize you need solid data governance before you even think about automation. Last year’s “90% readiness” number was unrealistic; this year’s drop is reality catching up.
SMBs wanting bundled security isn’t about the bundle—it’s about not wanting to make tool choices. They want outcomes. And MSPs planning to expand their services shouldn’t assume that means adding another cybersecurity product. The obvious expansion is AI readiness: mapping data, cleaning it up, setting access boundaries, and building the structure that makes AI actually useful.
If you don’t solve data issues first, AI will fail—full stop.
And this is where the opportunity is. Not selling AI tools. Not deploying half-baked agents. It’s helping customers understand what they can safely automate, what data they have, and how to integrate AI into the systems they already use. That’s where MSPs can differentiate.
This is the move from being the infrastructure team to being the intelligence team. And the providers who lean into that—who build governance, readiness assessments, and safe deployment frameworks—are the ones who will capitalize on all this AI-driven “growth” everyone keeps talking about.