The AI Forecast: Data and AI in the Cloud Era

AI Managed Services: A Smarter Path for SMEs

Mar 10, 2026
Charlotte Webb, Marketing and Operations Director at Hive who helps SMEs adopt managed AI services. She discusses cloud myths and hidden costs, the build vs buy tradeoffs, hybrid GPU and Kubernetes infrastructure, data sovereignty and compliance, and how managed services scale e-commerce and reduce AI complexity.
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INSIGHT

SMEs Often Can't Sustain DIY AI

  • Many SMEs lack the internal capability to architect and manage AI platforms, making DIY or hyperscaler-first approaches risky.
  • Charlotte says MSPs act as an extension of the business to design bespoke AI solutions and manage ongoing operations.
ADVICE

Align AI To Business Strategy

  • Do align AI projects to long-term business strategy rather than spinning up quick cloud services.
  • Charlotte recommends a consultative MSP approach to architect bespoke, hybrid solutions that avoid unexpected bills and integration pain.
INSIGHT

Cloud Is Not A Cost Or Compliance Panacea

  • Cloud does not automatically equal lower cost, better performance, or solved security.
  • Charlotte warns that public cloud can create surprise bills and isn't compliant by default; choices and architecture matter.
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