KEY TO REMEMBER:
- Companies often pursue Agentic AI without automating basic operations.
- Fundamental IT tasks like monitoring, patching, and backups are often overlooked.
- Robust systems and processes are necessary for successful AI implementation.
- Managed service providers can help businesses establish a reliable foundation before AI Adoption.
Everyone is rushing to agentic AI. Boardrooms are excited about intelligent systems that will revolutionize operations. Companies imagine autonomous agents making complex decisions, optimizing workflows and transforming their businesses overnight.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most small and medium-sized organizations haven’t worked or thought about automating the basics. They also did not hire a trusted person Managed Service Provider (MSP) to help them imagine and implement a AI Strategy which generates a return on investment.
We see this pattern repeatedly. Business leaders want sophisticated AI agents that handle nuanced decisions, but their teams continue to manually copy data between spreadsheets. They are still waiting days to get simple approvals. They still create the same reports by hand every week. This wastes precious hours on tasks that should have been automated long ago.
Moving to agentic AI when the foundations don’t exist is like trying to build a skyscraper on sand.
The same thing happens everywhere cybersecurity And IT infrastructure. Businesses want cutting-edge threat detection powered by artificial intelligence. They want AI-based solutions security operations centers that predict attacks before they happen. They want autonomous systems protecting their networks.
But they didn’t automate the basics patch management. They don’t have real-time monitoring of their critical systems. They do not regularly check their backup systems.
Security breaches go unaddressed for weeks. Everyone ignores fundamentals as they chase the next shiny object.
This situation is ineffective and dangerous because AI cannot protect you if you compromise your basic security hygiene. No intelligent agent can compensate for unpatched systems, inconsistent monitoring, or untested backups.
We learned long ago that flashy technology means nothing without a solid foundation underneath. An effective approach will focus on the important work that keeps businesses running. Your MSP should automate monitoring every two minutes to ensure nothing is missed.
Automated patch deployment keeps systems up to date and secure without manual intervention. Automated alerts signal when something is wrong, detecting problems before they become disasters. Automated maintenance keeps systems healthy, secure and performing optimally.
This is the foundation. Without it, you will doom your journey to agentic AI before it begins.
Think about it logically. If your systems are unreliable, how can you trust an AI agent to make intelligent choices for your business? How can you leverage machine learning for predictive analytics when your data collection is inconsistent? How do you implement autonomous security responses when you don’t even have real-time visibility into your network?
You can’t. Your team must build the technology stack in the right order.
The right way to go
Before pursuing AI agents, make sure you’ve automated the basics first. Implement robust monitoring systems. Automate routine maintenance and updates.
Establish backup and restore process. Create consistent data management practices. Create real-time visibility into your operations.
These fundamentals are not obstacles to innovation. They are the platform that makes innovation possible. This is what differentiates successful AI implementations from costly failures.
The organizations that will truly benefit from agentic AI are not the ones that rush to deploy it first. Successful businesses are those that have built the necessary foundations. They have automated their routine operations. They have implemented reliable, secure and monitored systems. They have created an environment in which intelligent agents can actually add value rather than simply revealing existing weaknesses.
Build the foundation. Then build everything else. This is how lasting transformation happens.
Ask yourself honestly: is your organization ready for AI agents, or are you still catching up on the basics? Are your systems monitored, maintained and secure? Have you automated the routine tasks that take up your team’s time? Do you have reliable data and consistent processes?
If you answered no to any of these questions, you’re not alone. But we must act.
Trained IT security professionals can help your business navigate fundamental automation and the transition to agentic AI. Cutting-edge technology requires strong fundamentals. Contact a trusted managed services provider today to assess your organization’s situation and chart the right path forward. Your journey to agentic AI starts with getting the basics right.
Carl Mazzanti is president of eMazzanti Technologies in Hoboken, New Jersey, providing IT consulting and cybersecurity services to businesses ranging from home offices to multinational corporations.