The AI Race Has Changed: How MSPs Drive Growth for SMBs

During a fireside chat at the Pax8 Beyond 2026 conference on June 9 in Salt Lake City, Ryan Walsh, co-founder, Chief Strategy Officer and Channel Chief at Pax8, and Nyssa Waters, co-founder and CEO of possibl.ai, discussed how Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are reshaping the AI race for small and medium businesses (SMBs).

Details

Walsh explained that MSPs serve as a critical bridge, enabling SMBs to access advanced AI technologies that were previously reserved for large enterprises. Pax8, as a cloud distribution platform, empowers MSPs to deliver managed AI solutions easily and cost-effectively.

Waters emphasized that possibl.ai focuses on making AI practical and secure for SMBs through tools that automate routine tasks and boost productivity while ensuring data privacy.

Context

This discussion comes amid accelerating AI adoption across all sectors, but SMBs often face barriers such as cost and lack of expertise. MSPs offer a solution by providing managed AI services that allow these businesses to leverage technology without significant upfront investment.

What This Means for Investors

The session highlights that companies like Pax8 and possibl.ai are targeting a growing market: enabling SMBs with AI through MSPs. This could open new growth opportunities in the tech sector, particularly for firms offering managed AI solutions and cloud distribution platforms.