ConnectWise IT Nation 2024 sent a clear message.

AI is accelerating faster than any previous shift in the MSP industry.

This is bigger than the transition from break–fix, bigger than cloud migration, and it will reshape service delivery, staffing, pricing and customer expectations.

Below is a full recap of the most meaningful sessions, along with linked resources that help MSPs take actionable next steps.

From Prompt to Profit: How MSPs Can Enter the AI Conversation

Speaker: Art Gross, CEO, Breach Secure Now

Art emphasized that MSPs must lead AI conversations with their clients. If MSPs are silent, vendors will fill that gap and lock clients into long-term systems that are hard to unwind.

His recommendation was to begin with training and education, though many MSPs may find it difficult to train clients on AI before they develop internal competency.

For a deeper look at how MSPs are adopting AI, see: Junto: Where AI Meets Collective Intelligence

Five Lessons from an Imperfect MSP Owner

Nick Moran, Evangelism Director, ConnectWise

Nick’s transparency about his MSP journey made this one of the most practical sessions of the event.

Five key takeaways:

1. Know Your Numbers. Many MSP owners operate in survival mode. Understanding margins, breakeven and cash requirements is essential.
   
   
2. Prioritize Personal Financial Stability. Owners must be secure before the business can be secure.
   
   
3. Know Your Mode. Startup, lifestyle operator or empire builder.
   
   
4. Align Your Team. Your team must understand your mode and support it.
   
   
5. Start Now. The perfect time will never come. Begin improving financial clarity today.
   
   

Related reading: What Is an MSP? Understanding the Modern Managed Service Provider

ConnectWise Innovation Keynote: Asio and the Future Platform

The keynote focused on the continued evolution of the Asio platform, the backbone for ConnectWise’s future AI and automation capabilities.

This aligns strongly with how we see the MSP tech stack evolving from tool-centric to workflow-centric, where digital workers will stitch capabilities together.

If you want a real example of platform-driven MSP automation, explore:

• Junto Features
• Junto Integrations
• Live Clickable Demo

How to Discover Resell Opportunities with AI Discovery

Yolanda Cao, Co-Founder, Everest AI

External Link: 

This session leaned toward a Gamma.app product demonstration. Great tool, though the session offered limited MSP strategy.

MSP M&A, Unfiltered: Building a Business Worth Buying

Time Conkle, Founder and CEO, The20

Time highlighted why the next two or three years will bring heavy consolidation. Private equity has more than a trillion dollars in dry powder and MSP roll-ups are accelerating.

He argued that MSPs are stronger together, though the reasoning leaned more inspirational than strategic.

One clear takeaway.

MSPs are not competing with each other as much as they are competing with automation and in-house IT adoption.

For valuation insights, see: MSP Valuation Guide

It Is Not What You Do, It Is How You Do It

Dan Scott, Sr. Community Director, ConnectWise

Dan covered nine focus areas for a thriving MSP, though the short session limited depth.

Two useful ideas:

• Workback Planning. Ten new clients requires forty SQL meetings, one hundred MQLs and one thousand outbound touches.
  
  
• Balanced Leadership. Effective leaders challenge and support their teams simultaneously.
  
  

Focus Group: AI in Service Delivery — Trust and Visibility

This smaller interactive session underscored a key differentiator for ConnectWise. The MSP community is its greatest strength. Attendees discussed concerns about AI visibility, boundaries and accountability.

For practical AI workflows already delivering value, check out: 

• AI in MSP Billing and Reconciliation
• Microsoft CIPP for Multi-Tenant MSP Management

Organic vs Acquisitive Growth: Impact on MSP Valuation

Panelists:

Karlie Hull (Syscom), George Sierchio (Cogent Growth Partners), Adam Bielanski (MSP Plus), Jon Labrun (Precise Holdings), Reed Watten (iTValuations)

Key points included:

• Adding companies without integrating them does not increase valuation.
  
  
• Organic growth is required to justify higher EBITDA multiples.
  
  
• M&A is far more intensive behind the scenes than most MSPs realize.

For more depth on MSP billing, revenue and margins, read:

• MSP Valuation Guide
• Getting More Out of ConnectWise PSA

From MSP to MIP: Becoming a Managed Intelligence Provider

Sunny Kaila, CEO, IT By Design

This session leaned toward a promotional overview, though Sunny shared valid points about evolving service models.

Modern Workforce: New Roles in the AI Era

Brad Schow, VP Ecosystem Evangelism, ConnectWise

The most impactful session of the conference. Brad explained why MSPs are at the start of the steepest curve change in the industry’s history.

1. The traditional MSP model is plateauing

Remote monitoring, reactive service delivery and manual ticketing are nearing their limit. Decline will be rapid.

2. AI is already improving MSP performance

• Faster service recovery
  
  
• Lower workload
  
  
• Higher quality documentation
  
  
• Better customer experience
  
  

3. Leaders must prepare for ambiguity and fear

Curve-jumping requires new leadership behaviors. Teams need clarity, support and direction through change.

4. Rethinking the MSP operating model

AI will change:

• Invoicing
  
  
• Workflow orchestration
  
  
• Data management
  
  
• Ticket intake
  
  
• Technician roles
  
  
• Even physical field work via robotics
  
  

5. Immediate steps MSPs can take

• Improve triage, notes and sentiment detection
  
  
• Use AI for quality improvements
  
  
• Identify internal early adopters
  
  
• Avoid tool overload
  
  

6. New skills MSP teams will need

• Light coding
  
  
• Workflow design
  
  
• System integrations
  
  
• RPA logic
  
  
• Data governance
  
  

Dirty data is the biggest blocker to advanced automation.

7. AI driven workflows will dominate

Digital workers will combine AI judgment with RPA execution. Humans will supervise until the AI proves consistent.

8. Platform thinking will replace siloed tools

The PSA and RMM silos will fade. AI systems will unify functionality across the stack.

Final Thoughts

IT Nation 2024 made it clear.

MSPs that embrace AI, strengthen their data foundations and rethink service delivery will lead the next era.

The shift is fast and the MSPs preparing now will gain the advantage.