Network Overdrive CEO on why he is not afraid of AI changing his business

Greg Clarkson sees AI as a tool to free up “drudgery” for both him and his customers.

For Greg Clarkson, CEO at Network Overdrive he has reinvented his business five times and will happily do it again, especially as he believes AI is coming to disrupt managed services.

Speaking to CRN Australia at Crayon Connect 2026 in Melbourne, Clarkson said, “Even though the business has got that length, there's been five versions of the Network Overdrive as markets have changed.”

He added, “I am not afraid to change the business to meet new realities.”

Clarkson founded the Melbourne-based business with three friends in 1999. The MSP has an overseas presence with offices in Dubai and Malaysia.

Clarkson has been working to reinvent his company again to meet the new AI-focused future.

"When I saw how significant AI was and the change of what AI could do in December of 2025 and what it could do in February 2026, I felt like my business was facing an existential threat,” he said.

“The way we were servicing customers was not going to be around in a few years, so I have been on a journey of reinventing ourselves again from that period of time.”

He said the need of a help desk is “quickly fading”.

“I can see a future where individuals will be able to fix their own IT problem,” he added.

Clarkson calls AI “divisive” in the current zeitgeist.

“There's equal measures of scepticism and enthusiasm,” he said.

He highlighted the division within organisations, boards and staff where some are for and some are against AI.

Clarkson is seeing that Australian customer’s interest in AI is waning.

“Australian’s had initial interest, but there is delay. We are [as a country] not as enthusiastic about AI as other countries,” he explained.

“We're wanting people to make these changes, but sometimes we find that head office might want to do one thing and the branch offices want to do another, or they find a tool works better for them.”

Clarkson said he is excited about the possibilities of AI “freeing up drudgery”.

“I can see that my customers could be more creative, more human, less caught up in drudgery if they implement the [AI] solutions in a proper way. I’m excited how AI can transform my business,” he said.

“Network Overdrive is going to be different in a better way because we make mistakes, we miss things that cost us or our customers, it hurts them. AI offers a true a way for us to level up as a business.

“What I'm excited about is how Network Overdrive can improve, make less mistakes, and make more of a difference in our customers lives,” he ended.

CRN Australia was the exclusive partner media partner for Crayon Connect 2026 in Melbourne.