Episode #897 of the MSPi PrimeCast
Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday business, and clients are looking to their managed service providers for guidance. While AI adoption continues to accelerate, many organizations are still determining how to manage its use, reduce risk, and gain value from the technology. That creates an opportunity for MSPs to move beyond supporting IT infrastructure and become trusted advisors on AI.
During his conversation on the MSP Influencer Primecast, Daniel De La Garza of Kipling Secure discussed practical ways MSPs can help customers understand AI usage, establish governance, and create value through responsible adoption. The following strategies are based on those insights and highlight how MSPs can strengthen client relationships while expanding their services.
1. Make AI Visibility the First Conversation
Daniel explained that before businesses can establish policies around AI, they first need to understand where AI is already being used. Many organizations know employees are using tools like ChatGPT, but they often lack visibility into which AI platforms are being used and for what business purposes. Having that information gives organizations a better foundation for making informed decisions instead of reacting after problems arise.
MSP Action: Help clients identify where AI is being used throughout their organization before discussing governance or policy changes.
2. Treat AI Governance as an Ongoing Service
One of Daniel’s observations was how quickly customer conversations changed. What began as “we don’t need this yet” became active requests for AI governance in only a few months. As AI adoption increases, businesses are recognizing the need for guardrails that help employees use AI responsibly without slowing productivity.
MSP Action: Position AI governance as an ongoing advisory service that evolves alongside your clients’ AI adoption.
3. Look Beyond Features When Evaluating AI Solutions
Daniel encouraged MSPs to consider more than feature lists when evaluating AI-related products. He emphasized ease of deployment, ease of enforcement, support for multiple AI models, and understanding how a solution integrates with AI environments. Simplicity matters because solutions that are difficult to implement can slow adoption and increase operational complexity.
MSP Action: Evaluate AI solutions based on how efficiently your team can deploy, manage, and support them over time.
4. Keep People Involved in AI Decisions
Although Daniel sees significant value in AI, he also stressed that people should remain part of the process. Referring to examples of AI making unexpected mistakes, he reinforced the idea of keeping “the human in the loop” and summarized his philosophy with the phrase, “trust but verify.” AI can improve productivity, but human oversight remains essential for reviewing outputs and validating important decisions.
MSP Action: Encourage clients to establish review processes that combine AI efficiency with human oversight for critical business tasks.
5. Build New Services Around AI
One of Daniel’s strongest messages was that AI creates an opportunity for MSPs to expand the services they offer. Rather than viewing AI as simply another technology to support, he described AI governance and visibility as a new service line that MSPs can introduce to their existing customers. By helping clients better understand and manage AI usage, providers can strengthen relationships while creating an additional source of recurring revenue.
MSP Action: Review your existing client base to identify organizations that could benefit from AI visibility and governance services.
6. Prioritize Solutions That Are Easy to Deploy
When discussing how MSPs should evaluate AI solutions, Daniel repeatedly came back to ease of use. He encouraged providers to consider how simple a solution is to deploy, enforce, and manage, rather than focusing only on features. He also noted that some products require specialized expertise, while others are designed to be implemented without building an entirely new team around them. Simplicity allows MSPs to deliver value faster while reducing operational complexity.
MSP Action: Choose AI solutions that your team can deploy, support, and manage efficiently without creating unnecessary operational overhead.
7. Recognize That Client Expectations Are Changing
One of Daniel’s most notable observations was how quickly customer demand evolved. Early conversations often ended with organizations saying AI governance could wait. Within a short period, those same organizations began actively requesting visibility into AI usage and asking how to establish governance around it. For MSPs, that shift highlights how quickly client priorities can change as AI adoption becomes more widespread.
MSP Action: Stay engaged with your clients’ evolving AI needs so you can respond as new requirements emerge.
What This Means for MSPs
Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate, and MSPs are in a position to help clients navigate that change. Daniel De La Garza’s insights reinforce that successful AI services begin with understanding how AI is being used, helping clients establish appropriate governance, selecting solutions that are practical to implement, and maintaining human oversight throughout the process. As organizations continue adopting AI, MSPs that provide guidance alongside technology will be well positioned to strengthen client relationships and expand the value they deliver.
Catch the full conversation on MSPi PrimeCast Episode #897 and connect with Daniel at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandlg/