KEY TAKEAWAYS: Companies often pursue agentic AI without automating basic operations. Foundational IT tasks like monitoring, patching, and backups are frequently neglected. Solid systems and processes are required for successful AI implementation. Managed Services Providers can help businesses build reliable foundations before AI adoption. Everyone is racing toward agentic AI. Boardrooms buzz with excitement about intelligent systems that will revolutionize operations. Companies envision autonomous agents making complex decisions, optimizing workflows, and transforming their businesses overnight. But here is the uncomfortable truth: most small and medium-sized organizations have not worked or thought about automating the basics. Nor have they engaged a trusted Managed Services Provider (MSP) to help them envision and implement an AI strategy that powers a return on investment. We see this pattern repeatedly. Business leaders want sophisticated AI agents handling nuanced decisions, but their teams are still manually copying data between spreadsheets. They are still waiting days for simple approvals. They still create the same reports by hand each week. This wastes valuable hours on tasks that should have been automated long ago. Jumping to agentic AI when the foundation does not exist is like trying to build a skyscraper on sand. The same thing is happening across cybersecurity and IT infrastructure. Companies want cutting-edge threat detection powered by artificial intelligence. They want AI-driven security operations centers that predict attacks before they happen. They want autonomous systems protecting their networks. But they have not automated basic patch management. They have no real-time monitoring of their critical systems. They do not check their backup systems regularly. Security vulnerabilities sit unaddressed for weeks. Everyone ignores the fundamentals while they chase the next shiny object. This situation is inefficient 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 they miss nothing. Automated patch deployment keeps systems current and secure without manual intervention. Automated alerts note when something goes wrong, catching problems before they cascade into disasters. Automated maintenance keeps systems healthy, secure, and performing optimally. This is the foundation. Without it, you will doom your journey toward agentic AI before it begins. Think about it logically. If your systems are not reliable, how can you trust an AI agent to make smart choices for your business? How can you leverage machine learning for predictive analytics when your data collection is inconsistent? How can you implement autonomous security responses when you do not even have real-time visibility into your network? You cannot. Your team must build the technology stack in the right order. The Right Path Forward Before you chase AI agents, make sure you have automated the basics first. Implement robust monitoring systems. Automate routine maintenance and updates. Establish reliable backup and recovery processes. Create consistent data management practices. Build real-time visibility into your operations. These fundamentals are not obstacles to innovation. They are the platform that makes innovation possible. They are what separate successful AI implementations from expensive failures. The organizations that will truly benefit from agentic AI are not the ones racing to deploy it first. The successful businesses are the ones that have built the proper foundation. They have automated their routine operations. They have established reliable, secure, monitored systems. They have created an environment where intelligent agents can actually add value rather than simply exposing existing weaknesses. Build the foundation. Then build everything else. That 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 consume your team’s time? Do you have reliable data and consistent processes? If you answered no to any of these questions, you are not alone. But you do need to act. Trained IT Security professionals can help your business navigate foundational automation and the journey toward agentic AI. Cutting-edge technology requires rock-solid fundamentals. Contact a trusted Managed Services Provider today to assess where your organization stands 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, NJ, providing IT Consulting and Cybersecurity Services for businesses ranging from home offices to multinational corporations. ...read more read less