Hornetsecurity Playbook Equips MSPs for SMB AI Revolution

LONDON, UK – May 26, 2026 – As small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) race to adopt artificial intelligence, they are navigating a landscape fraught with both unprecedented opportunity and complex new cybersecurity risks. In response, global cybersecurity firm Hornetsecurity by Proofpoint has launched a comprehensive guide aimed at the frontline technology advisors for these businesses: Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

The new 'MSP Playbook for Working Smarter, Not Harder,' released today, provides a strategic framework designed to help MSPs scale their operations while guiding their SMB clients through the turbulent waters of AI integration and escalating cyber threats. The move comes as data shows SMBs are adopting AI at a pace that outstrips previous technology cycles, creating a critical need for expert guidance.

The MSP's New Frontier: Guiding the AI Revolution

The adoption of generative AI among SMBs has surged, with some reports indicating usage climbed to 42% in 2026, a more than threefold increase since 2024. This rapid integration is driven by the promise of enhanced efficiency, productivity, and customer experience. However, this gold rush comes with significant challenges. Many SMBs lack the internal expertise, resources, and structured policies to deploy AI safely and effectively.

This is where the role of the MSP becomes pivotal. Traditionally focused on IT management and support, MSPs are now being called upon to act as strategic AI consultants. Hornetsecurity's playbook is positioned as a key tool for this transformation. An entire chapter is dedicated to the disruption and opportunity presented by AI, helping MSPs move their clients from ad hoc experimentation with tools like chatbots to structured, governed adoption of more advanced systems.

Stephen Simons, Head of UK Partner Management at Hornetsecurity, highlighted the shifting landscape. "AI is already changing the conversations MSPs are having with their clients," he said. "Businesses need advice on where AI fits, how employees are already using it, and what guardrails should be in place. For MSPs, this is a chance to strengthen their role as strategic IT consultants, helping clients move from AI experimentation to clearer governance and real business value."

The playbook provides actionable guidance for MSPs to establish best practices for their clients, solidifying their position as indispensable technology advisors and capitalizing on a burgeoning market need.

Cybersecurity's Next Battleground: Agentic AI

While generative AI presents known challenges, the playbook places a special emphasis on the emerging and more complex threats associated with agentic AI—autonomous systems designed to act on a user's behalf with minimal human intervention. While currently more prevalent in enterprise environments, agentic AI is expected to filter down to the SMB sector, bringing a new class of vulnerabilities.

Research underscores the urgency, with one study finding that 81% of SMBs are not prepared for AI-related threats. Agentic AI amplifies these risks. Its ability to act autonomously can lead to unauthorized actions if its goals are manipulated. The complex web of tools and APIs these agents can access creates new pathways for data exfiltration, and the blurred line between user and agent identity opens doors for sophisticated impersonation attacks.

The 'MSP Playbook' directly addresses these concerns by providing MSPs with multi-step processes for a best-in-class incident response and frameworks for understanding and communicating these pressing cybersecurity threats to their customers. By equipping MSPs to handle these next-generation risks, the guide aims to help them protect their clients from attacks that can occur at machine speed, far faster than a human can typically respond.

An Operational Edge for Scalable Growth

Beyond client-facing strategy, the playbook is fundamentally a guide for MSPs to enhance their own operational efficiency and profitability. Titled 'Working Smarter, Not Harder,' the resource outlines seven key areas for growth, including tackling time-consuming client onboarding, implementing strategic vendor consolidation, and optimizing ongoing customer management.

For many MSPs, manual processes and a lack of standardization are significant barriers to growth. The playbook offers practical frameworks to automate and streamline these functions, allowing providers to serve more clients effectively without a proportional increase in overhead. This focus on operational excellence is designed to turn efficiency gains into better outcomes for customers and improved long-term profitability for the MSP.

"MSPs are crucial partners to businesses that need secure, reliable and efficient technology support," said Daniel Hofmann, CEO of Hornetsecurity by Proofpoint. "The need for clearer guidance, stronger protection, and better ways of working – such as automation – have become key factors for MSP success, turning operational efficiency into better outcomes for their customers and long-term success for businesses. MSPs are a critical part of the cybersecurity ecosystem and these practices are structured to be an essential part of their toolkit."

By helping MSPs refine their internal processes, the cybersecurity company aims to strengthen the entire support ecosystem for SMBs. The strategies for efficient onboarding, for instance, are designed not just for speed but to establish a strong, trust-based relationship from the outset. Similarly, guidance on vendor consolidation can directly improve an MSP's margins while simplifying the security stack for the end client.

The full playbook serves as a comprehensive reference point for MSPs looking to assess their current approach and strategically plan their next steps in an industry being reshaped by artificial intelligence.