Pax8 Executive: AI Will Be ‘The Cornerstone Of Business Operations’
‘For those of us that take advantage of AI, it can be transformational. But for those who don’t, it poses a significant threat. It's not decades out, it’s years out,’ says Robert Belgrave, chief operating officer for Pax8.
Belgrave, who spoke to a room full of MSP executives this week at CRN parent The Channel Company’s XChange NexGen conference in Houston, said the rapid growth of AI is outpacing the traditional predictions outlined in Moore's Law, raising both excitement and concern among business leaders.
"AI capabilities are doubling every four to six months," he said. "We're not even close to the real disruption that will come as a result of this."
The evolution of AI is broken down into five distinct stages, he said, from basic customer service chatbots to the potential for machines with human-level intelligence, known as artificial general intelligence (AGI).
[Related: Pax8 CEO: Simply Keeping Up With Demand Is A Challenge]
"The next major milestone for AI is going to be AGI," he said. "Once we reach that point, we may achieve nothing short of the most impactful technological advancement for mankind."
The implications are profound. As AI becomes more capable, it will begin to take on more complex roles, potentially managing entire business operations or even strategic decision-making processes.
And AI integration is set to become a cornerstone of business operations. Belgrave said experts predict that 60 percent of all software will be written by AI within the next year.
"We see MSPs developing personalized marketplaces for their customers, creating tailored solutions," he said. "This isn’t just theoretical, it’s happening today."
Melvin Williams, CEO of Blue Bell, Pa.-based solution provider M&N Communications, said having a partner who is always thinking about what's next is powerful, especially when it comes to AI.
“Pax8 went from being your wingman in the early days to becoming a full technology ecommerce platform, empowering the MSP community, to now using Al to make predictions suggestions to its partners,” he told CRN. “Their ability to stay in the forefront of technology is changing the way we service our industry. “
Belgrave told MSPs to embrace AI technology while remaining vigilant about its challenges.
"For those of us that take advantage of AI, it can be transformational. But for those who don’t, it poses a significant threat," he said. "It's not decades out, it’s years out.”