Brad Howarth to unpack the next chapter for MSPs at Pipeline 2026

Techpartner.news contributing editor Brad Howarth will return to the Pipeline stage in 2026, held on Hamilton Island in May, to present further research into our MSP Index and the next growth phase for ANZ MSPs.

Howarth has been working with techpartner.news on our MSP Index research program, interviewing business owners, executives, peer group leaders, analysts and others across the Australian ICT channel. He raised concerns about some aspects of the widely promoted view that AI will be a growth driver for MSPs.

Automation and AI are fuelling new pressures on pricing and customer expectations, he noted.

"When they know that an MSP is using AI and automation to deliver that service, they're wanting to see some of that benefit passed along to them," Howarth said. "So any MSP that's out there at the moment thinking AI is the path to salvation? No. The answer to that could be it's going to be a race to the bottom."

"So you've gotta be really smart. Now you've got to think about not only how do you take cost out, but how do you reinvest that money in growth activities? How do you reinvest in your people? How do you reinvest in your service line? Do you build out a consulting activity or something else?"

"Get people to develop that skill set - consulting, recommendations, all of those kind of things - then you should be able to not only achieve coverage for any shortfall automation brings through to your service desk, but you should be able to grow off the back of that."

Howarth is examining how MSPs can adapt their business models amid rising compliance costs, automated competitors, wage pressures and consolidation. He expects these changes to accelerate.

"A lot of the businesses that used to be more like a lifestyle business - they had a nice group of customers that were coming along, reasonable pace, not necessarily growing - they are often the ones that are finding themselves under pressure because there is definitely pressure on margins."

Pipeline 2026 will gather Australian ICT service providers, including MSPs, system integrators, data and cybersecurity specialists, business applications specialists, vendors, distributors and consultants for three days and two nights of networking and insights about the future of the ICT channel.

To find out more and register your interest in attending Pipeline 2026, visit pipelineconference.com.au.