• MSSPs are using AI to automate security assessments and operations, cutting labor needs while protecting margins.
  • A 2026 webinar highlighted that AI can enable CISO-level services without adding headcount, letting smaller teams sell higher-value offerings.
  • The shift risks leaving traditional MSSPs behind if they don’t adopt automation, retrain staff and rethink pricing.

What the webinar reported

A recent webinar for managed security service providers (MSSPs) outlined how AI is reshaping the economics of security delivery in 2026. Presenters argued that by automating routine assessments and operational tasks, MSSPs can raise margins and deliver CISO-level advisory services without proportionally increasing headcount — in some cases operating with roughly half the staff than traditional models require.

How AI is changing core MSSP work

Automated assessments

AI-driven tools can perform vulnerability scans, configuration reviews and initial risk scoring much faster than manual teams. The webinar emphasized automation of these repeatable tasks as a primary margin driver: it reduces billable hours for low-value work and frees technicians to focus on higher-impact investigations.

Elevating services without hiring

MSSPs reported packaging the freed capacity into higher-margin offerings such as virtual CISO (vCISO) advisory, strategic risk briefings, and prioritized incident response playbooks. The webinar framed this as a path to sell upmarket: offer CISO-level guidance while keeping headcount flat.

Why this matters now

The move to AI-driven delivery affects competition and pricing. MSSPs that fail to modernize risk losing deals to leaner competitors offering deeper advisory services at comparable or lower cost. At the same time, companies that invest in automation can improve margins, scale faster and unlock new revenue tiers without a matching payroll increase.

Operational impacts and risks

Adopting AI isn’t risk-free. The webinar discussion flagged several consequences providers must manage:

  • Quality control: automated findings need human validation to avoid false positives/negatives.
  • Skills shift: teams must be retrained toward analysis, orchestration and client advisory instead of repetitive tasks.
  • Client trust: buyers may need reassurance that automated processes meet regulatory and audit standards.

Practical takeaways for MSSPs

MSSPs looking to follow the path outlined in the webinar should prioritize: piloting automation on assessments, defining higher-value vCISO packages, investing in staff reskilling, and updating sales messaging to emphasize outcomes rather than hours billed. Early pilots help prove ROI and build internal confidence.

Bottom line

The webinar painted a clear strategic choice for MSSPs in 2026: adopt AI to protect margins and move up the value chain, or risk becoming a commoditized provider. For many teams, automation creates the rare opportunity to offer CISO-level services without proportional hiring — but success depends on measured rollout, quality controls and client communication.

Image Referance: https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/webinar-how-smart-mssps-using-ai-to.html?m=1