Data from SolarWinds research reveals that automation is set to play a major role in the future of IT operations, but many teams remain cautious about how the shift will play out in practice.
In a recent survey of 1,048 global IT professionals commissioned by SolarWinds, 35% of respondents say their IT operations will be primarily or almost entirely automated within the next two to three years. This gives an insight into how quickly organisations are moving towards more automated environments and AI assisted workflows.
However, the transition is not without its challenges. These include:
- 46% of the IT professionals surveyed said they are concerned about the quality or accuracy of AI
- 29% worry about disruption to their role, and
- the majority of IT workers across all roles said AI has made their job more demanding.
Data privacy and security concerns remain the biggest barrier (43%), followed by platform fragmentation (28%) and a lack of clear human guardrails (17%).
To adapt to this shift, IT teams are calling for more structure and support. Over half (56%) say clearer AI policies and guardrails would help, while 50% point to the need for formal training.
The findings suggest that while automation is moving quickly, many organisations are still working out how to implement it in a way that supports their teams rather than stretching them further.
Cullen Childress, Chief Product Officer at SolarWinds, explains:
“Across industries, AI adoption has been uneven. There’s a clear push to secure growth with innovation, and AI is being positioned as the accelerator. But speed alone can create more friction than progress and many IT teams are being stretched between innovation and accountability. Success will come from organisations that treat AI as an operational discipline built on visibility, control, and shared ownership — not just a fast-moving experiment.”
Related Post: SolarWinds Research: IT teams hit with ‘AI Brain Fry’ as Workloads Rise
