Pax8 has released its inaugural research report, The Agentic Inflection Point: And the Rise of the Managed Intelligence Provider. The comprehensive study defines the future of small-to-midsized business (SMB) operations, transformed by agentic labor and the democratization of enterprise-level technology access. It also introduces Managed Intelligence, a bold new framework that enables all stakeholders in the technology ecosystem to navigate this transition and thrive in the agentic era.
“We are standing at the edge of a monumental new era where agentic systems will redefine how work gets done,” said Scott Chasin, CEO of Pax8. “The proliferation of these AI agents will allow SMBs to compete against large enterprises and scale faster than ever, and Managed Intelligence Providers will be key to enabling the technology. The rate at which this technology is advancing makes the next 24 to 36 months critical. MSPs that evolve quickly into the MIP model will be poised to experience long-term success in the new paradigm.”
The report outlines the emergence of agentic systems—AI-powered agents capable of autonomous action and reasoning—and their transformative impact on the global SMB economy. It positions the MIP as the strategic partner that curates, orchestrates and governs intelligent agents: Making the move from simply managing services to truly driving business outcomes for SMBs. The Agentic Inflection Point also serves as a guide for partners ready to embark on their transformation and capitalize on the enormous opportunity in front of them.
Key Findings from the Report
The Agentic Inflection Point
The report focuses on a new paradigm taking shape, where autonomous software agents collaborate with human expertise to redefine business operations. The fusion of AI and automation reduces the time spent between idea and execution, marking the dawn of the Idea Economy, where businesses are built and run by code, and software agents transition from supporting work to doing it. The result is the democratization of capability, empowering organizations of all sizes with tools once reserved for industry giants.
Four Levels of Agents
Pax8’s research has identified four distinct levels of AI agent functionality, each representing a significant leap in autonomy and business impact.
- Chatbots: Generative tools that respond to direct human prompts and queries through the use of AI and rules.
- Assistants: Enhanced chain-of-thought reasoning to decompose complex goals into actionable steps, make decisions based on contextual information and execute multiple operations in sequence.
- Digital Labor: Operating independently across multiple systems and tools with minimal human oversight.
- Digital Workforce: Coordinated systems of multiple agents working together, specializing, collaborating and distributing work to accomplish complex objectives at scale.
The Rise of the Managed Intelligence Provider
The Agentic Inflection Point introduces the Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP) – the next evolution of the MSP. The current MSP model is reaching maturity, with the demands of AI-driven businesses, the complexity of autonomous systems and the need to deliver business outcomes. MIPs guide clients through automation-powered reinvention, leveraging agent marketplaces, governance frameworks and curated solution stacks; reinventing how business gets done. According to survey results in the report, 66 Pax8 partners believe they will be seen as strategic business advisors to their clients in two years, a more than seven-fold increase to their current role as an IT support provider. This data proves that the change in the partner’s identification from a reactive vendor to a proactive enabler is already in motion.
The Agentic Supply Chain
To enable SMBs to compete with enterprise-scale capabilities, the Agentic Supply Chain will emerge, providing the necessary infrastructure to support digital labor. This comprehensive framework of intelligent systems will integrate into business operations and enable marketplaces to become orchestration hubs. In this new supply chain, agents will initiate the buying, selling and scaling of licenses and MIPs will shift from procuring licenses to procuring outcomes.
Monetization Models
The age of agentic AI will also introduce new pricing models that align with how MIPs generate revenue. Compared to the legacy model where software is sold by the seat, agentic systems will be sold based on the result they deliver. The Agentic Inflection Point identifies four primary business models for capturing value in this new paradigm:
- Per Agent (FTE Model): Pricing aligned with the human equivalent they augment or replace.
- Per Action (Consumption-based): Usage-based pricing is tied directly to the value delivered.
- Per Workflow (Process-based): Workflow-based pricing that captures the value of end-to-end automation.
- Per Outcome (Value-based): A sophisticated pricing model tying compensation directly to measurable business outcomes.
The AI-Built SMB
The Agentic Inflection Point reveals that 54% of midsize enterprises have already deployed AI, and 83% of high-growth SMBs are actively experimenting with it. As AI capabilities mature, Pax8 predicts the rise of the “AI-Built SMB”—businesses that are AI-native from day one, embedding generative and agentic technologies into every facet of their operations. These companies automate everything from customer service to product development, favor modular, vertical solutions over legacy software suites and often scale with lean teams. This new breed of SMBs aligns more with the agility and innovation of tech startups than traditional small businesses.
To lead the agentic transformation, Pax8 is building the foundation for the agentic economy, including an agent marketplace, a Model Context Protocol integration framework, an agentic orchestration platform, a Managed Intelligence toolkit and much more. By connecting builders (SMBs), enablers (MIPs) and producers (software/cloud vendors), Pax8 aims to create an ecosystem that could shape the next trillion-dollar economy.
