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This is not your typical AI blog.
Yes AI will change your life and all the hype and disappointment yet to come. But we are not here to talk about that. What IS really interesting is how IT’s relationship with AI is more unique than any other department. IT is both the enabler and traffic cop when it comes to how it is implemented, where it is implemented, and who has access to it.
IT as the Backbone of AI Implementation
Is AI revolutionizing how your organization operates? Congratulations, you’re ahead!
Yet for many organizations it’s not that clear cut.
How is your sales team progressing with better follow up notes? How is your marketing team writing those emails? How is engineering adapting from copying from Stack Overflow to now copying from ChatGPT? I jest but there is some truth there.
Different teams are using AI, but often in different ways that make it hard to understand the total impact on the organization. Each of these teams often have their own timelines of adoption and how long it will take users to feel comfortable with their new tools.
From our recent trends report we can see that most organizations are adopting AI initiatives at just the right speed:
How did so many organizations get to this goldielocks window of speed?
In a word, security.
The concerns around AI and security is the biggest throttling point for people to implement AI as quickly as they can, so long as it’s done securely with a clear understanding of where the data is going. As a result, IT has become a bridge between AI’s potential and practical application.
But this practicality has also had some sobering moments this year.
Coming down from the hype cycle where only 24% of IT professionals feel that AI’s impact is even greater than they anticipated. Everyone else, well, has seen this movie before with other technologies and how they are adapted.
Want to borrow my Palm Pilot?
The Double-Edged Sword: AI’s Impact on IT Departments
While IT is indispensable to AI, AI is also profoundly impacting IT departments themselves.
AI-driven tools are automating routine IT tasks, such as system monitoring, threat detection, and patch management. This automation not only reduces manual workloads but also enables IT teams to focus on higher-value activities like strategic planning and innovation.
Moreover, AI is enhancing IT’s decision-making capabilities. Tools powered by machine learning can analyze vast amounts of data to predict potential system failures or optimize resource allocation. This means IT professionals must upskill to manage and oversee increasingly sophisticated AI systems.
This shift demands a workforce adept in both traditional IT skills and emerging AI competencies.
AI Startups: Modern IT as an Enabler
The rapid growth of AI startups exemplifies how modern IT infrastructure can accelerate innovation. These startups, often backed by significant venture capital, are at the forefront of AI development. However, their agility and fast-paced nature require cutting-edge IT solutions to avoid being bogged down by legacy systems.
Modern IT tools—from cloud identity management to unified endpoint management—provide the flexibility these startups need to iterate quickly and deploy their solutions at scale.
A Relationship That Defines the Future
The interplay between AI and IT is a cornerstone of digital transformation. IT empowers organizations to integrate AI into their workflows, driving efficiency and innovation. At the same time, AI is revolutionizing IT departments, automating processes and enhancing decision-making. As AI startups push the boundaries of technology, modern IT infrastructure plays a crucial role in enabling their success.
This symbiotic relationship is not just reshaping businesses but also setting the stage for a future where AI and IT are inseparable. Organizations that recognize and leverage this dynamic will win in an AI-driven world. To benchmark how you compare to hundreds of other IT leaders, download our full eBook report.
