WatchGuard launches Rai AI workforce for MSP security

WatchGuard Technologies has launched Rai, an AI digital workforce for managed service providers, with its first role, Analyst, available now.

Aimed at security operations across client environments, the product is designed to work continuously without direct human input.

WatchGuard positioned Rai as a step beyond assistive AI tools, taking on investigation and response work that would usually fall to security analysts. It described the system as an always-on extension of an MSP security team, able to detect, correlate and respond to threats across endpoint and network activity.

Analyst is the first function to reach the market. It is intended to act as a first responder for security teams, handling detection, investigation and response work so staff do not need to manage alerts around the clock.

The launch comes as MSPs face pressure to manage a growing volume of cyber threats across multiple customer estates while containing labour costs. Rai is intended to help providers expand security coverage and improve consistency across client environments without increasing headcount at the same pace.

How it works

The system sits alongside the new WatchGuard Insights Hub, which gives partners a central view across customer estates. The hub includes dashboards that let users move from a broad MSP-level view to client-specific detail, plus a Daily Brief summarising actions taken, items needing attention and the current protection status across managed environments.

The controls are configurable so partners can retain oversight of actions taken by the AI system. Each action is also visible and measurable through a single intelligence function.

Further roles are planned for Rai. WatchGuard said an Auditor role will focus on compliance gaps, misconfigurations and issues such as firewall rule conflicts, while an Admin role will cover tasks including patch scheduling, certificate rotation, maintenance windows and partner communications.

The company argued that shifting this work away from human teams would allow engineers to spend more time on customer relationships and more complex technical issues. The pitch speaks to a long-running challenge for MSPs, which have tried to scale recurring security services while competing for scarce cyber talent.

Ben Oster, Vice President of Product Management at WatchGuard, said the market increasingly needs systems that can operate continuously across multiple customers.

"Cyber threats are increasing in both volume and complexity, and organisations need AI that is built to work continuously across every client," said Ben Oster, Vice President of Product Management, WatchGuard. "Rai shifts security operations from reactive to predictive, taking action instantly to deliver more consistent protection. This approach enables partners to scale faster, enhance margins and improve the customer experience across their entire portfolio."

Partner response

One early user pointed to the value of bringing information together in a single place rather than spreading it across different tools.

"What stood out right away was how quickly everything came together in one place," said Michael Ruffolo, Senior Cyber Security Engineer and Analyst, eSecurity Solutions. "Instead of jumping between tools or piecing things together, the experience made it easier to understand what was happening and what needed attention. That kind of clarity is what helps us make better decisions and deliver more consistent service to customers."

WatchGuard said it serves more than 25,000 MSPs protecting over 1.5 million customers worldwide. That installed base gives the company a sizeable channel for introducing new AI-led security tools, particularly as MSPs look for ways to standardise services across large and diverse customer estates.

WatchGuard has framed Rai as part of a broader shift in its AI strategy, focusing on systems that can execute tasks rather than simply assist human operators. Later enhancements will include a natural-language interface intended to let partners interact directly with the system.

Joe Smolarski, Chief Executive Officer at WatchGuard Technologies, said the economics of security delivery have long been constrained by staffing limits.

"This is a fundamental shift in how cybersecurity gets done," said Smolarski. "For too long, growth has been constrained by people - how many analysts you can hire, train, and retain. Rai changes that equation. It enables our partners to operate continuously, act instantly, and scale far beyond the limits of traditional security teams."