MSPs are under pressure to turn AI hype into recurring revenue. Inforcer’s latest product, Copilot Manager, aims to do just that by helping MSPs operationalize Microsoft Copilot while addressing the growing risk of shadow AI.
In an interview with ChannelPro at Kaseya Connect 2026, Inforcer’s co-founder, Will Connor, explained that the company developed Copilot Manager in response to the widespread uncertainty around AI that is coming from partners.
“What a lot of our partners were really asking is, ‘How do I build services around AI? I have no idea where even to start,’” Connor said.
That challenge points to a broader shift: MSPs are past AI experimentation fatigue and are now focused on building a strong foundation required for AI-as-a-Service.
From AI Hype to Real Revenue
Will Connor
While many MSPs have begun selling Microsoft Copilot licenses, Connor emphasized that licensing alone does not create a sustainable business model.
“I can sell a Copilot license, but I get whatever the percentage is back from Microsoft, and that’s basically it. That’s not enough to make something tangible for an MSP to actually deliver services,” he said.
Instead, MSPs need structured, repeatable offerings.
“AI is a journey for the MSPs to take their customers on. You may start with chat. Then you integrate it with your applications, and then eventually you get to agents,” Connor explained. “There are always more services to layer on.”
Copilot Manager is built around that idea, helping MSPs package AI into managed services. The platform provides centralized visibility into Copilot adoption, enabling MSPs to track usage, identify power users, and demonstrate ROI.
This combined view helps providers identify risks, guide governance, and create new service opportunities around training, compliance, and licensing.
“You can track user adoption, see what applications they’re using Copilot in, and build a whole structure of training around that to sell it as a service,” Connor said.
Shadow AI is the Hidden Risk Driving Demand
The rise of shadow AI is also accelerating urgency as employees increasingly use unauthorized AI tools outside of IT oversight. IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that one in five organizations experienced a breach tied to shadow AI, with those incidents costing an average of $670,000 more than breaches at organizations with little or no shadow AI.
Connor described a growing disconnect inside organizations, where even after investing in Copilot, employees continue to use external tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and other tools.
Copilot Manager is designed to close that gap by surfacing detailed AI usage insights across tenants, giving MSPs the visibility needed to govern adoption and build services around it.
“Although you’ve invested in Copilot, you might have users who are using competing AI apps,” Connor noted. “We’re helping MSPs show business leaders the amount of data that each user has inputted into their shadow AI.”
MSPs Move Toward AI-Led Services
One of the common themes discussed at Kaseya Connect was that MSPs need to evolve their business models. Agentic AI means a slow end to traditional IT delivery. In its place, the rise of consultative, advisory-led services.
According to Connor, some forward-thinking MSPs are already emphasizing AI best practices in initial calls with prospects. This approach is helping them reposition IT from a cost center to a strategic driver of business outcomes.
Those that successfully adapt stand to gain a significant competitive advantage, with Connor suggesting that early movers in AI-led services are seeing a strong demand.
“Successful MSPs now lead with AI, and they’re having a completely different conversation with their clients,” Connor said. “The ones who get that shift right are going to clean up,” Connor said.
Summing Things Up
Inforcer’s Copilot Manager points to a growing reality for MSPs: AI is no longer optional, but monetizing it requires structure, visibility, and security. By combining Copilot adoption insights with shadow AI detection, Inforcer’s goal is to empower MSPs to consult intelligently on AI.
That shift is increasingly critical as customers look for guidance on how to safely and effectively adopt AI. MSPs that can quantify usage, manage risk, and tie AI to measurable outcomes have the advantage.
Jonathan Browning is executive director of content and engagement for The ChannelPro Network. He has been a leader in the IT channel for close to a decade. He’s an avid fan and early adopter of technology. He believes that the Managed Services industry is the most important driver of economic growth and human innovation in today’s world.
Images: Jonathan Browning, LinkedIn
