Pax8 isn’t waiting for the future to arrive. It’s building an agentic AI-powered environment and inviting its MSP partners to join in leading the “AI revolution.”
The world of managed services is on the cusp of transformation, and Pax8 wants to guide MSPs through that change. That was the theme of Pax8 Beyond 2025, the company’s annual U.S. event in Aurora, CO, on June 9-10.
This year’s MSP conference was Pax8’s largest yet and the biggest in the MSP space so far this year, according to Beyond 25 emcee Rob Rae, Pax 8 corporate vice president of communities and partner experience. The event hosted more than 2,200 MSPs representing 30 countries, top tech vendors offering live demos in a huge expo hall, a packed agenda of breakout sessions, and a closing party headlined by none other than Snoop Dogg.
But the real headline was that transformation isn’t optional. AI, automation, and new business models are already here. And Pax8 wants to give MSPs the tools, training, and motivation to move fast.
“This is The Agentic Inflection Point,” Pax8 CEO Scott Chasin declared in his June 9 opening keynote, referencing a new report the company unveiled during the event. “We are entering a new era where ideas execute themselves. Not months of planning, not armies of people. Just a single spark, a problem, a prompt, a possibility.”
CEO Scott Chasin emphasizes the importance of being ready for change.
AI and the Rise of the Managed Intelligence Provider
In a sci-fi-like moment, Chasin was handed a bottle of water by a humanoid robot that walked onto the stage mid-keynote. Meanwhile, remote-controlled robot dogs waved, jumped, and danced with Pax8 Co-founder Ryan Walsh on the main stage, down hallways, and throughout the show floor. Along with drawing crowds, this sparked conversations about, “what this moment represents,” as Chasin put it.
A robot dog waves at its fans in the Vendor Expo hall.
His keynote emphasized the evolution of MSPs into Managed Intelligence Providers (MIPs). In this concept, businesses will increasingly rely on fleets of AI agents to execute tasks, manage workflows, and even make decisions. MSPs must evolve to orchestrate and govern that agentic workforce.
Chasin laid out the four levels of AI progression: chatbots, assistants, digital labor, and digital workforces. “Instead of more apps, more people, and more patches, we’re entering a time of agent orchestration,” he explained. “Software that doesn’t just respond, but reasons.”
To support this shift, Pax8 announced its Managed Intelligence Toolkit, including integration with Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Pax8 Chief Product Officer Libby McIlhany unveiled a new Integrations Hub and Public Storefronts. These tools were designed to help MSPs deliver AI-powered services and scale them.
“Public Storefronts are not just about branding,” McIlhany said during the June 10 Innovation Keynote. “They’re about lead generation, reach, and visibility. This is how you free yourself up from repetitive tasks and focus on client relationships.”
Big Numbers, Bigger Shifts
In a keynote packed with market data, Canalys Chief Analyst Jay McBain offered a look at where the MSP industry is headed. The purpose was to reiterate why transformation is urgent. According to McBain, based on research from Omdia and Canalys:
- The global managed services market will hit $608 billion in 2025, growing at 13% year over year.
- 82% of companies are outsourcing more this year than last.
- Managed services is 1.5x larger than the SaaS industry and also larger than all hyperscaler cloud services combined.
- Cybersecurity services are projected to reach $275 billion this year, with managed security growing at 15%.
- AI represents a $6.5 trillion opportunity, with major players like Microsoft and OpenAI backing that vision.
McBain emphasized that the future of service delivery is shifting toward agent-based, micro-consumption billing models. Also, 100% of this next wave will run through digital marketplaces, he said. For MSPs, the time to act is now.
Security, Enablement, and Marketplace Innovation
While AI took center stage, cybersecurity and operational efficiency were also top of mind. Discussions featuring Pax8 Academy and industry experts focused on helping MSPs harden client defenses, build scalable solutions, and streamline delivery. From ransomware mitigation to threat detection, the security sessions were well-attended and grounded in real-world needs.
Nick Heddy explains how Pax8 designs its tools to drive better outcomes.
“I’m on the sales side, so I went to a lot of the sales breakout sessions,” said Richie Wicks, sales director of ITNS in Texarkana, TX. “I think it’s going to help me become a better director with my sales team. I can train them on some of the bits and pieces I took away.”
MSPs also got a look at the future of commerce through the expanding Pax8 Marketplace, which now supports AI-guided recommendations and new billing models like per-agent and per-action pricing. The Marketplace now supports more than 42,000 partners, 700,000 SMBs, and 22 million unique users, President and Chief Commerce Officer Nick Heddy unveiled during the keynote. “Partners using Marketplace tools have increased the value of their orders by nearly 96%. That kind of lift doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when every part of our system is designed to drive smarter outcomes and then feed on its own momentum.”
As Chief Experience Officer Craig Donovan added, “We’re moving beyond provisioning licenses. We’re architecting intelligent infrastructures.”
MSPs came away energized, but also realistic about the work ahead. “AI is a very powerful tool,” said event attendee Aaron Gauthier, CTO of Toronto-based Fidelity IT Solutions. “It can empower your workforce, but it can empower the client, too. There are lots of avenues to take. We’re getting into it slowly, but we know we need to adapt. It’s the future.”
What’s Next?
One clear call to action was that MSPs can’t afford to wait. Pax8’s Guided Growth programs, Academy tracks, and AI tooling are designed to help MSPs adapt fast. All of this is to say that the channel’s typical operations are being rewritten in real-time.
Or as Chasin put it: “The future isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you shape.”
Check Out More of ChannelPro’s Pax8 Beyond 2025 Coverage
➡️ Pax8 Unveils AI Vision for the Future, Cybersecurity Expansion, and More
➡️ Pax8 Leadership: The Managed Intelligence Provider Era Will Redefine the Channel
