How MSPs can help customers optimise their AI Investments

Today, generative AI is already transforming the way businesses operate, but adopting AI can be a complex and resource-intensive process, with many organisations now grappling with AI-related security and budgetary concerns. Still, in spite of the challenges and costs associated with AI implementation, research shows that most organisations are looking to ramp-up their use of the technology in the immediate future. The 2024 AI and Information Management Report finds, for example, that 80% of companies are planning to expand their use of AI in the coming year.  

The continued expansion of AI across regions and sectors of the world economy validates the power of AI tools like Copilot for Microsoft 365. But even so, AI comes with an upfront cost that can sometimes be significant, and this means that many AI-adopting organisations are now looking to get maximum benefits from more limited initial investments. 
 
That’s where MSPs can help. By tailoring their product offerings and delivering incisive consultation, MSPs can help customers do more with less when it comes to AI. In this piece, I’ll look at a few concrete strategies that can help make that possible.  
 

Enhance Storage Optimisation 

With storage budgets under continued scrutiny in 2024, IT leaders are looking to cut any and all unnecessary spending. When it comes to cloud storage, an easy way to do this by implementing automated storage optimisation to enhance data quality, which (1) improves the effectiveness of AI tools by optimising the data that powers AI, (2) helps reduce data storage costs by automatically identifying superfluous and unnecessary data, and (3) helps limit security and other related risks. Once customers have identified unnecessary data and optimized the data that they want to continue to maintain, they can take steps to remove and reorganise data to save money and improve efficiency. 
 

In 2023, Coveo found that employees spend 3.6 hours per day searching for information they need to do their jobs. By getting rid of stale content, organisations can drive productivity, reduce risk, and improve the speed and accuracy of search, analytics, and e-discovery solutions. MSPs can help customers enhance storage optimisation by offering software that does this automatically. They can also provide support and best practices to customers as they implement and use this technology. 

Make Targeted Investments 

In spite of lingering economic uncertainty in many regions and sectors, global IT spending is expected to grow in 2024. Gartner projects, for example, that global spending will rise by about $200 billion in 2024—that’s an 8% increase on 2023.  

But even as spending rises, the broader economic climate is putting pressure on organisations to get more from their investments. One way that they can do this with AI is by investing in AI-related programs and tools that are likely to have the greatest impact. Instead of distributing licenses for AI tools broadly across an organization, for example, IT leaders should allot licenses to professionals and departments that are most likely to use them to great effect. Once licenses are allotted, leaders should monitor use and redistribute them in cases where they aren’t making an impact. By investing strategically and constantly monitoring output, your customers will further with AI.  
 
MSPs can help customers make targeted investments by encouraging them to take these steps and by providing them with the tools and expertise needed to monitor AI use. Research shows that companies that succeed with AI tend to invest in more of the technology. By helping their customers do more with less, MSPs can improve customer outcomes and create greater demand for their products and services.  

Consider Low- or No-Code Solutions 

As leaders continue to grapple with internal and external pressure to optimize budgets, low- and no-code AI tools are gaining popularity. In fact, Gartner has found that 70% of new enterprise-developed applications will rely on low-code or no-code technologies by 2025, up from less than 25% in 2020. 

 
Low- and no-code tools are attractive for organisations as they look to keep down expenses not only because they tend to have a lesser upfront cost, but also because they make it possible for organizations to easily and quickly improve productivity and innovation. A recent study found, for example, that no-code options are between 4.6 and 4.8 times easier to use than traditional tools. This means that employees can do more work in less time, at less cost to their organization. By connecting their customers with no- and low-code tools, MSPs can help their customers meet their goals while simultaneously generating valuable new business to boost their own bottom line.  
 
As AI continues to take off all around the world, MSPs are in a unique position to help their customers, end users, and partners succeed, which will in turn help MSPs meet their business goals. By applying these and other best tips and practices, you can make sure that the AI revolution benefits everyone: customers, partners, and end users alike.