Portal26 is expanding its focus on managed service providers with the launch of its Managed Intelligence Platform (MIP) and Point2 Academy, two offerings designed to help MSPs build revenue-generating AI governance and advisory practices.
Announced October 19, the platform gives MSPs visibility into AI tools operating across client environments, including unauthorized applications and potential security risks. Point2 Academy complements the technology with training in selling, deploying, and supporting managed AI services.
The launches reflect a growing challenge for MSPs as customers adopt generative AI tools faster than their IT teams can establish policies governing their use.
Portal26 targets shadow AI and visibility gaps for MSPs
Portal26 is positioning its platform around what it calls the evolution from managed service provider to “Managed Intelligence Provider,” or MIP. The term is becoming popular in some areas of the channel to describe a shift, caused by AI, in what MSPs will be expected to produce and manage for customers in the future.
Rather than focusing solely on infrastructure management and uptime, the company envisions MSPs taking responsibility for customers’ AI usage, security, compliance, and return on investment.
“Every organization, from the enterprise to the small business, needs an AI adoption platform to build visibility, security and value realization into how it uses AI,” Joe Boggio, VP of Alliances at Portal26, told Channel Insider.
“For MSPs, it’s essential that the platform is built around how they serve their clients: many clients, one team and one control plane.”
Managed Intelligence Platform combines AI discovery, security and ROI
The platform combines three capabilities: discovering AI applications in use, identifying associated security and compliance risks, and evaluating whether customers are realizing business value from their AI investments.
That approach is intended to address the proliferation of tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini within SMB environments, where employees may adopt AI without centralized oversight.
According to Boggio, the immediate opportunity for partners is demonstrating risks and opportunities that customers may not realize exist.
“Within days, an MSP can show a client exactly which AI tools are in use, by whom, and what sensitive data is going into them,” he said.
“That evidence changes the conversation and opens the door to immediate work: AI assessments, security controls and stronger QBRs.”
Point2 Academy trains MSPs to deliver AI governance services
Alongside the platform, Portal26 is introducing Point2 Academy to help MSPs develop the operational and commercial skills needed to deliver managed AI services.
The program covers platform deployment, customer support, sales positioning, and service delivery, with the goal of helping partners build repeatable offerings rather than relying on individual AI consulting engagements.
“We want MSPs to see Portal26 as the platform, the evidence and the playbook behind their AI practice, not just another tool in the stack,” Boggio said.
Portal26 says it has developed the program alongside MSP partners, including Cinch IT, to align the offerings with existing service delivery models.
Cinch IT CEO Jack Wilson said the platform has helped shift customer discussions away from hypothetical AI threats toward specific findings within their environments.
“We’re not describing a hypothetical risk anymore — we’re showing clients exactly what’s happening in their own environment, and what to do about it,” Wilson said.
AI governance opens recurring revenue opportunities for MSPs
For MSPs, the longer-term opportunity extends beyond identifying shadow AI or addressing immediate security concerns.
Portal26 sees potential recurring revenue in AI compliance management, license optimization, cost control, and strategic advisory services that help customers determine which AI investments deserve further investment.
Boggio argues that these capabilities could also strengthen existing customer relationships by making MSPs more integral to business decisions.
“MSPs move from answering ‘what AI do we have?’ to ‘how do we get more value from it?’, and that makes them far harder to replace,” he said.
The challenge for partners will be translating that visibility into services customers are willing to purchase, while establishing the expertise and delivery processes needed to support AI governance at scale.
WATCH MORE: MSPs are already evolving their operations to meet changing customer needs. Learn how WCA Technologies is doing so in this episode of Channel Insider: Partner POV.