As we arrive at Thanksgiving, it’s hard not to take a moment to look back at the year that brought the AI era fully into the hands of the MSP community. 

Twelve months ago, the narrative was only beginning to shift. 

Last November, it was becoming clear that AI wasn’t going to be delivered to businesses by vendors, big clouds, or point-solution startups. It was going to be delivered by you — the Managed Service Providers who already sit closest to the customer, already own the trust, already understand the workflows, already manage the data, and already carry the responsibility for security and operational excellence. 

This time last year, early adopters were just starting to imagine what “AI Services” could look like. There was excitement, but also discomfort. Everyone could see the opportunity, but very few had taken the first step. 

Looking back at the year, we can see how drastic the shift has been for the MSPs who did take that first step.  

2024–2025: The Breakout Year for AI-Powered MSPs

In the span of a single year, the MSP channel has moved from curiosity to conviction. And we’ve had the privilege of watching it from the front row. 

What changed? 

• MSPs discovered that AI isn’t just a tool. It’s a new line of business. 

• Customers started asking—not casually, but urgently: 

• “What’s our AI strategy? What should we be doing? Where do we start?” 

• Leaders realized they no longer needed to be technical AI experts to create value. 

• They just needed a framework. 

• And dozens of MSPs proved that with a simple Crawl-Walk-Run approach, they could go from zero to revenue inside a single quarter. 

We’ve watched MSPs who deployed to their first five customers suddenly accelerate to 20, then 50. 

We’ve seen MSPs that initially hesitated now building entire AI service divisions. We’ve seen partners land their biggest customer wins ever on the back of AI. And above all, we’ve seen MSPs step into a role that is bigger than technology: 

You are becoming the AI guides for small and mid-size businesses globally. 

That is something worth being thankful for.  

The Moment of Gratitude — and the Reality Check

At Hatz AI, we are deeply grateful for the MSPs who moved early, leaned in, asked questions, challenged us, pushed us, and ultimately helped shape the platform and the playbook that exists today.  

We’re grateful for the partners who: 

• Put their entire team on Secure AI Chat. 

• Rolled out their first five starter packs. 

• Brought internal AI policies to their customers. 

• Showed their clients the power of using AI safely. 

• Joined office hours, shared stories, surfaced what was working, and helped us refine the pathway for everyone else.  

But Thanksgiving is also a moment of truth. 

Because here’s the reality: 

MSPs who have not yet deployed to at least one customer before Thanksgiving are going to find it increasingly difficult to build a meaningful AI services business in 2025. 

Not because AI is hard. Not because customers aren’t asking. Not because the opportunity isn’t there. 

But because the gap is widening. 

Your peers have moved. They are rolling out 5-customer sprints. They are training their teams. They are building workflows, apps, and AI agents. They are positioning themselves as the AI thought leaders in their markets. 

And they are earning trust—fast. 

In every transformation wave, there is a moment where the leaders separate themselves from the observers. 

For AI in the MSP channel, that moment is right now. 

What We’ve Learned: The Playbook Works 

The good news is: the formula is now proven. The partners who win follow the same pattern. For AI in the MSP channel, that moment is right now. 

1. Crawl – Internal first 

• Get your own people using daily secure AI. 

• Get certified. 

• Understand the basics. 

• Adopt the habits. 

 2. Walk – Start with five customers 

• Run a simple starter-pack deployment. 

• Give customers access, education, and a handful of use cases. 

• Position AI as a safety + productivity solution. 

3. Run – Expand to 20, then 50 customers 

• Introduce AI apps, workflows, agents, and more advanced use cases. 

• Build repeatable playbooks for industries. 

• Train your team to deliver higher-value advisory. 

That is the pathway. It works every time. And the MSPs who follow it are pulling away. 

Thanksgiving 2026 Will Look Very Different 

A year from now, the landscape will be unrecognizable. The MSPs who seeded early deployments will be the ones: 

• winning RFPs 

• attracting net-new customers 

• delivering AI consulting 

• building industry AI libraries 

• leading executive workshops 

• generating recurring revenue from AI workflows and agents 

• being recognized publicly as the “AI Inner Circle” leaders 

And the ones who hesitated? They will still be trying to catch up. 

A Final Thanksgiving Message  

To every MSP who has leaned in this year: 

Thank you. 

Thank you for the trust.  For the feedback. For building with us. For helping your customers navigate a transformational moment. 

There has never been a bigger opportunity for MSPs to lead. And there has never been a better moment to start than right now. If you have not yet rolled out to your first customer: 

Do it before Thanksgiving. 

That one simple step will determine everything that comes next. The next year belongs to the MSPs who act. 

And we’re grateful to be building the future with you.