Craig Fulton, advisor for brand, M&A and community, took the stage at HaloPSA’s Orbit conference to talk about the future of PSA and how AI and automation will play a big part.

Craig Fulton believes AI and automation are key to improving business operations, specifically for professional services automation and remote monitoring and management tools.

“Today’s tech doesn’t need to know how everything works under the hood,” said Fulton, advisor for brand, M&A and community at San Francisco-based holding company Evergreen Services Group. “It’s like owning a car. Forty years ago, you needed to know how to adjust the valves or lubricate the ball joints. Today you just hit a button, and it starts.”

Fulton, who spent 14 years at Tampa, Fla.-based ConnectWise in a host of roles including chief product officer and chief customer officer, took to the stage at HaloPSA’s Orbit conference in the U.K. this week to speak about the future of PSA and how AI and automation will play into it.

“The rise of AI is the next frontier,” he said. “Everyone’s asking, ‘What’s going on with AI?’ It’s like, geez, we’re not even done with cybersecurity and this new wave is coming fast.”

However, he noted that AI is not just a passing trend but something that will enable companies to scale, improve customer experiences and maintain a competitive edge.

[Related: Evergreen Services Group Expands Into UK With MSP Acquisition]

As AI continues to be integrated into various business functions, he predicted that it would allow for more meaningful customer interactions and proactive business strategies.

“Imagine AI predicting when a customer’s hardware will need to be refreshed or when a client relationship might not be profitable. You can act before it becomes a problem,” he said.

The adoption of these new technologies comes with its own set of challenges, particularly around regulation and security.

“This is the first time we’re really getting hammered with regulation,” he said. “As more regulations come in, your systems need to be designed and configured to meet those standards.”

He drew comparisons to everyday consumer experiences, emphasizing the importance of intuitive design.

“Think about it, did you ever take a class to order from Amazon or to book a flight? No, it was intuitive. And that’s how future tech needs to be,” he said. “Today’s tech professionals don’t need deep technical knowledge like we did. Automation is going to bridge that gap.”

He said businesses should focus on the customer experience as almost everything is done digitally today.

“The customer understands technology now and they want an experience,” he said. “It’s not 2000 to 2010 anymore, everyone uses tech now.”

His message was clear to MSPs: Adapt or be left behind as automation and innovation continue to evolve.

“Don’t try to boil the ocean all at once. Start small and build from there,” he said.

Javid Khan, CTO at Marlboro, N.J.-based master MSSP IT By Design, said it’s important to align teams on the company’s vision when it comes to AI.

“You have to rip off the Band-Aid on AI because AI is the future,” he said. “Don’t think of it as a threat to job security. Think of it as a way to enable companies to work smarter, faster and cheaper.”