AI implementation in IT: professionals voice concerns

A recent report released by SolarWinds reveals that only a minority of IT professionals are confident in their organisations' readiness to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The "2024 IT Trends Report, AI: Friend or Foe?" highlights substantial concerns regarding data quality, infrastructure limitations, and security risks.

According to the survey, encompassing nearly 700 IT professionals, only 43 percent of respondents believe their company's databases are prepared to meet the increased demands posed by AI. Even fewer, around 38 percent, trust the quality of data or training used in developing AI technologies. Privacy and security concerns have been identified as the primary barriers to AI adoption, with 72 percent of IT professionals advocating for increased government regulations to enhance security and 64 percent for improved privacy measures.

The report's findings come shortly after SolarWinds introduced its "AI by Design" framework, which offers a new industry model aimed at the ethical and secure development of AI technologies. This framework seeks to address many of the concerns raised in the report, including privacy and security, fairness, and transparency in AI development.

The desire to adopt AI technology is evident, with nine out of ten IT professionals already using or planning to use AI. However, significant hurdles persist in the form of data quality and security risks. Krishna Sai, Senior Vice President of Technology and Engineering at SolarWinds, noted that while AI has significant potential, it is crucial for organisations to have robust internal systems and to prioritise security, fairness, and transparency in AI development.

Although the report illustrates a level of cautious optimism among IT professionals towards AI, approximately 46 percent express a desire for their companies to accelerate AI implementation despite facing costs, challenges, and concerns. The distrust in data quality remains a significant issue, with only 38 percent of respondents expressing confidence in the data used to train AI models.

The report highlights several key insights into the current landscape of AI in IT. A notable 31 percent of IT professionals believe that AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) will have the most considerable positive impact on their roles, superseding large language models and traditional machine learning. Furthermore, 38 percent of respondents indicated that their companies already employ AI to enhance IT operations' efficiency and effectiveness.

Despite these advancements, the skepticism surrounding the data powering AI is evident. Only 38 percent of IT professionals trust the data quality, viewing poor data as a significant impediment to AI adoption. As such, AI is perceived more as an advisor or sidekick rather than a sole decision-maker, reflecting the cautious approach taken by IT teams.

Privacy and security concerns remain the most substantial barriers to AI integration, with 41 percent of respondents reporting negative experiences primarily due to these issues. This underscores the imperative for organizations to develop comprehensive policies addressing ethics, data privacy, and compliance. The report indicates that over a third of organisations (35.6 percent) still lack such policies for proper AI implementation.

In response to these findings, SolarWinds' AI by Design framework is built on four core principles: prioritising privacy and security, focusing on accountability and fairness to eliminate biases, emphasising transparency and trust, and ensuring simplicity and accessibility for seamless integration into workflows. This framework aims to set a benchmark for the broader industry on how to approach AI development responsibly.

SolarWinds' recent investments in AI continue to build on its commitment to assisting modern IT teams in embracing advanced technologies and navigating the complexities of hybrid on-premises and multi-cloud digital environments. The company's suite of observability, database, and service management solutions is designed to optimise current hybrid IT setups and simplify IT professionals' tasks.