Organisations are turning to artificial intelligence more and more, looking to reap its benefits across a wide range of industries. But while AI has been evolving at rapid pace over the past year, many organisations remain unclear on how it can benefit their business, or how a managed service can help with continued success. In this blog, we explore the impact of AI for organisations and how it can be enhanced with the right managed services provider.

Many people have seen AI already leading to observable benefits in the workplace. Two common artificial intelligence solutions that have impacted the way businesses operate are ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.

Copilot, in particular, demonstrates how AI can benefit businesses by combining the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) with the extensive ecosystem of Microsoft apps and the data in your existing Microsoft 365 tenant. It offers a revolutionary way of working, responding to natural conversation and human interaction to unlock productivity, unleash innovation and turn your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet.

However, given the continuing progress and refinement from developers and users alike, the world is yet to fully understand the untapped potential of AI. With new capabilities coming thick and fast, organisations are exploring not only the benefits of using AI for business, but how engaging AI through their managed service providers (MSPs) can help to fully harness its maximum capabilities.

Why do you need AI and managed services?

The advantages of AI are becoming increasingly evident. Many organisations are strategising on how to use AI to enhance and increase their revenue and influence. From creating more efficient and productive workflows to enabling innovative processes that offer a greater competitive edge, the benefits of leveraging the power of AI are clear.

However, many organisations face significant hurdles when trying to tap into the business benefits of AI. Despite their positive intent, they often get stuck at the ‘how to’ stage of the conversation, when faced with the requirement to optimise for AI and the dual challenges of new and unfamiliar technology.

Many organisations are turning to third parties to oversee and simplify their artificial intelligence journey. An MSP with experience in AI can act as a specialist service, adding value to businesses looking to engage with AI but who lack the requisite internal experience when entering the sphere. Private ChatGPT for business from our parent company Content+Cloud, for example, offers the power and possibility of public AI solutions, with bespoke functionality and essential security considerations built in.

Skills shortages, gaps in expertise in new technology, a lack of high-quality data and the overall complexities of AI are just some of the challenges that an experienced MSP can help businesses overcome . Whether you have concerns about launching your first AI projects or are looking to use it for business in a more efficient manner, you might find that the answers to many of your AI questions lie with an experienced MSP.

What does an MSP do differently to your internal IT team?

As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, businesses are facing new challenges in automation and cyber security. These areas have seen expansive growth, in part due to the explosion of AI technology. However, even the most well-resourced companies are struggling to stay up-to-date with the latest tools and upgrades to their systems.

MSPs can help deliver the greatest value for your business by providing bespoke management solutions for your infrastructure. From first-line support to a broad level of oversight, MSPs can tailor their services to your exact needs.

Whether you want to optimise your IT budget by streamlining costs and redirecting crucial funding elsewhere or you’re looking for the peace of mind that comes with 24/7 expert managed IT support, an MSP allows your people to focus on their highest priorities that will drive the greatest revenue.

As the threat landscape evolves, cyber security has become increasingly critical. Attackers are leveraging AI to exploit vulnerabilities, making it more important than ever to partner with an MSP that has a holistic understanding of the technology and the growing risks.

However, the true value of an MSP goes beyond just offloading your IT requirements to an external team. A good MSP will work hand in hand with you to understand your needs and goals. With AI managed services, this value becomes even greater as you rely on your chosen MSP to help you leverage AI for business in ways your own team may not have considered.

We have a longstanding relationship with Microsoft under our parent company, built up over years by being at the forefront of the development and evolution of its key technologies . By choosing Mirus, you’re working with a partner who knows when to invest in the right solutions.

Microsoft technology offers plenty of new opportunities to use AI to improve security and innovate work. How can an MSP help you leverage this?

Combining an MSP with AI for enhanced security

Cyber security is a top priority for businesses, and Microsoft is committed to addressing this concern through evolving technology. Threat actors are keeping up with AI developments to strengthen their own abilities, making it critical to maintain a strong defence. However, the constant pace of evolution and emergence of new tools can become overwhelming.

Advanced tools, like Managed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), have never been more critical for organisations looking to secure their people and data.

Keeping up with all of the tools available and what the right options are can be challenging, even for the most expert internal IT team. Understanding how one solution relates to another and, more importantly, how tomorrow’s technology landscape will impact today’s operations plays a significant role in assembling and optimising your security strategy.

With an MSP like Mirus, you can build a long-term strategy that integrates AI for security excellence. Combining technology such as Microsoft Security Copilot and Microsoft Entra with the expert knowledge of our experts can help you create the best possible protection.

Using secure AI LLMs in your organisation

LLMs like ChatGPT have been the real focus of AI development over the past year – but while they can open up a world of opportunities, they are not without their risks. In recent months, it’s become evident that sensitive data entered into public LLMs can end up in the wrong hands due to the way the technology works. If your users are using these tools every day, the danger to your business is genuine.

If you are using a public AI tool for business and haven’t yet considered the risks, make sure to read our previous blog on the concerns and the solutions available.

Do you need an AI managed service?

Many organisations are experimenting with artificial intelligence without external support. However, an MSP can provide expert guidance and advice on how to optimise your workflow to get the most out of your technology for your people. With Microsoft at our core and experienced teams working with AI, we can provide security, governance, and long-term strategy to get started and move into the future.

Our experienced teams can turn your AI vision into a reality without disrupting your day-to-day operations, offering the benefits of our expertise and the foresight of what is coming down the Microsoft pipeline to keep you ahead of the competition.

Want to get the most out of AI in your organisation?

Whether you’re already using AI tools or not, get in touch with us to find out how we can help you make the most of them across your organisation.