AI adoption rates aren’t matching IT hype
The appetite for AI is there, but a range of issues are hampering adoption
IT professionals are upbeat about the potential of AI, yet new research shows there’s a significant gap between hype and real world adoption rates.
Findings from Auvik’s 2026 IT Trends Report show 70% of respondents are “optimistic” or “very optimistic” about the impact of AI on IT operations in the near future.
Notably, the report found appetite for AI tools is strong among frontline IT staff, particularly those in help desk roles. Auvik said this sends a clear signal that workers seek assistance in reducing manual toil and carrying out repetitive tasks.
However, despite growing demand, AI is rarely used in core operations, according to Auvik, with just 5% of respondents using it in daily activities.
“For most teams, AI remains aspirational,” the study notes. “It is something being discussed, tested, or planned for rather than embedded into day-to-day workflows.”
A key factor behind the mismatched hype and adoption rates is a lack of readiness and relevant training, according to Auvik. Nearly half (49%) of respondents reported having limited available time for skills development and lengthy adoption projects while balancing core responsibilities.
“Almost half of respondents spend between 10 and 20 hours per week handling end-user tickets, leaving limited time to explore new tools, experiment with AI, or pursue training,” the report states.
AI governance questions need answered
IT teams are also still hashing out the finer details on AI implementation, the study found, particularly around policy and governance.
Around 40% of respondents told Auvik their company has no established AI policy, or is still in the process of developing one, for example.
Perception of AI adoption is also another lingering problem for IT teams. More than three-quarters (76%) of IT leaders believe their organization has an AI policy, yet only 42% of frontline workers agree they have concrete plans in place.
“AI is everywhere in IT conversations right now, but our data shows that enthusiasm is running well ahead of readiness,” said Doug Murray, CEO of Auvik.
“When three-quarters of IT leaders believe they have an AI policy but fewer than half of help desk staff say the same, that’s an implementation problem versus a policy problem.”
“Another source of shadow IT”
Murray noted that discussions over governance are critical in AI adoption projects, otherwise the technology risks “becoming just another source of shadow IT” – and that’s a problem teams are still grappling with.
The use of unauthorized applications and tools is growing, Auvik found, posing serious challenges for IT teams. Indeed, 20% of respondents said shadow IT is now the “single most underestimated” risk by business leadership figures.
“61% of respondents say they discover unauthorized SaaS applications at least monthly, with 23% reporting weekly discoveries, and 8% say they have no idea how many SaaS applications are in use across their organization at all,” the company said.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow ITPro on Google News and add us as a preferred source to keep tabs on all our latest news, analysis, views, and reviews.
You can also follow ITPro on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and BlueSky.
-
Everpure wants you to get your data AI-readyNews With enterprises facing recurring data readiness issues, Everpure wants to streamline the process and deliver AI success
-
Everpure continues data management pivot with new Data Intelligence platform launchNews The move by Everpure aims to help enterprises maximize the use of AI-ready data and break down silos
-
IT leaders are being stung by "unexpected" AI costsNews The growing costs associated with AI are hitting organizations large and small
-
'Botsitting' is destroying productivity as workers spend nearly a full day each week making AI 'usable'News While workers are reporting productivity improvements, ‘botsitting’ means these are often negated
-
'Most enterprises are still unprepared to operationalize it': IT leaders are bullish on agents, but keeping falling at the final hurdle – here's whyNews Forrester points to challenges scaling agentic AI, saying companies start rolling out the tech before they're ready to scale
-
‘Chat is dead’: OpenAI plots ChatGPT ‘super app’ overhaul ahead of public listing – with agents and coding tools the new focusNews The company looks set to spruce up ChatGPT with a particular focus on agents to drive subscriptions
-
Uber’s eye-watering AI bill shows enterprises are ‘still measuring AI success through consumption rather than outcomes’ – and it's warping our perception of ROI and productivityNews ‘Tokenmaxxing’ might pad the stats, but it’s a trend that could come back to haunt enterprises
-
Destination AI: Una partnership affidabile per superare gli ostacoli e gettare le basi per la crescita futuraSponsored Con l'accelerazione dell'adozione dell''AI aziendale, i partner IT devono spostare la loro attenzione dall'hype tecnologico ai risultati aziendali tangibili, sfruttando ecosistemi strutturati per promuovere la monetizzazione a lungo termine
-
Le programme Destination AI : un partenariat de confiance pour surmonter les obstacles et poser les bases de votre croissance future
Sponsored Alors que l'adoption de l'IA en entreprise s'accélère, les partenaires informatiques doivent réorienter leurs priorités : délaisser le battage technologique au profit de résultats commerciaux concrets, en exploitant des écosystèmes structurés pour assurer une monétisation à long terme
