Episode Details

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers:

• GTIA launches Managed Intelligence Alliance to establish standards for managed AI services: The Global Technology Industry Association has formally launched its Managed Intelligence Alliance, an initiative designed to help IT service providers deliver artificial intelligence to small and medium-sized businesses securely, responsibly and at scale.The Alliance was previewed at ChannelCon earlier this year and is being formally launched at Pax8 Beyond in Copenhagen.Pax8 is the charter member, with Rob Rae, the distributor’s corporate vice president of community and ecosystems, serving as chair.

  Founding participants include CrowdStrike, Cynet, F1 Information Technologies, Lyra, Microsoft, New Charter, NinjaOne, Rev.io and Sourcepass.

  The initiative will focus on four areas: open specifications to improve interoperability, capability standards for managed AI delivery, vendor-neutral accreditation, and research and guidance for the emerging market.

  GTIA says the resulting standards and accreditation frameworks will be published openly and made available at no cost, including to organizations outside its membership.

  The effort reflects a growing challenge for the channel. MSPs are increasingly being asked to help customers implement and manage AI, but common practices for delivering those services are still taking shape.

  GTIA hopes to help providers move beyond individual AI projects toward repeatable, governable managed services.

  The standards and accreditation programs remain to be developed. The announcement establishes the Alliance and its initial participants rather than introducing completed frameworks.

  For Canadian MSPs, the initiative could eventually provide a more consistent foundation for building managed AI offerings, demonstrating capabilities to customers and working across multiple vendors.

• Proofpoint agrees to acquire Varonis for $6.3 billion: Proofpoint and Varonis have entered a definitive acquisition agreement under which Proofpoint will acquire the data-security company