This article includes some interesting AI in ITSM survey correlations because the last artificial intelligence (AI)-related IT service management (ITSM) survey we ran with HCLSoftware was designed for publication with limited space for the correlations we discovered. The main survey results are available in this downloadable report and, in an abridged form, in this article. However, as with “clouds that have silver linings,” not including all the correlations in the report means that they can instead be shared in this article.
However, while the comparison of different AI in ITSM survey question responses provides some interesting correlation insights, as always, please remember that “correlation does not imply causation.”
Key AI in ITSM survey correlations and insights
Some of the AI in ITSM correlations highlighted from the report data are included below:
AI in ITSM tools and free AI tools correlations
- Respondents in the largest organizations (5000+ employees) were most likely to employ an ITSM tool with paid-for AI capabilities.
- The level of AI capability use dropped in line with whether it was a paid-for addition. However, the level of the “No use and no plans” option selection still wasn’t high (circa 10%) when AI capabilities were a paid-for option.
- North American headquartered organizations were far more advanced in ITSM-tool-based AI adoption than those in Europe.
- The largest organizations (2001+ employees) had the highest percentage of “Extensive AI capabilities in production.” None of the respondents from 501-2000 employee organizations stated this, and more than half of the respondents from the smallest organizations (1-100 employees) were still “Experimenting or testing AI capabilities.”
- The North American and European “AI gap” also existed for bespoke AI application adoption. However, the differential wasn’t as significant.
- The smallest organizations (1-100 and 101-500 employees) were most likely to use free AI tools.
ITSM efficiency and AI-driven improvement correlations
- Organizations with ITSM tools where AI capabilities are a no-cost addition were most likely to have improved their ITSM efficiency “across the board.” However, those with paid-for capabilities were most likely to have improved in specific areas.
- North American headquartered organizations had seen three times the level of AI success in ITSM efficiency terms compared to those headquartered in Europe.
- The levels of organizations not seeing AI-related improvements were roughly similar across all organization sizes, bar those with 2001-5000 employees (likely because this group had by far the smallest sample size).
AI ITSM use case adoption level correlations
- North American headquartered organizations, compared to their European counterparts, were:
- Nearly twice as likely to have adopted virtual agents and virtual assistants.Over three times as likely to have adopted intelligent autoresponders.Nearly twice as likely to have adopted intelligent workflow automation.Over ten times as likely to have adopted self-healing capabilities.Nearly twice as likely to have adopted smart analytics and reporting capabilities.
- Twice as likely to have introduced Agentic AI.
- The largest organizations (2001+ employees) were most likely to have adopted:
- Virtual agents and least likely to have “No plans to adopt.”
- Virtual assistants, with those with 501-2000 employees least likely.
- Intelligent workflow automation capabilities, with those with 501-2000 employees least likely.
- While the largest (5000+ employees) and smallest (1-100 employees) organizations had adopted AI-powered self-healing capabilities at more than double the level of the other organizational size groups, the sum of “Adopted” and “Planning to adopt” responses was similar across all organizational sizes.
Agentic AI adoption in ITSM correlations
- The level of Agentic AI adoption was similar across all organizational sizes. However, mid-sized organizations (101-500 and 501-2000 employees) were close to 67% more likely to have “No plans to adopt.”
- The level of organizations planning to adopt Agentic AI was similar across all ITSM tool payment models. However, the organizations with AI as a no-cost ITSM tool addition were circa five times more likely to have adopted Agentic AI capabilities already.
AI and job loss perception correlations
- Respondents from North American headquartered organizations were the only ones who explicitly stated that AI would lead to job losses. And, while much smaller samples, it’s interesting that the respondents from organizations headquartered in Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and South America all had no “negative” perceptions of AI.
Trust levels in AI correlations
- Unsurprisingly, the respondents’ perceptions of AI correlate with their trust level in AI.
- Trust in AI was higher where paid-for AI capabilities (in ITSM tools) were used.
- The respondents in European headquartered organizations distrusted AI the most. This aligns with the lower levels of AI capability adoption.
Download the Full AI in ITSM Survey Report
Hopefully, these AI in ITSM survey correlations are helpful. The full report can be downloaded here.
Further Reading
Stephen Mann
Principal Analyst and Content Director at the ITSM-focused industry analyst firm ITSM.tools. Also an independent IT and IT service management marketing content creator, and a frequent blogger, writer, and presenter on the challenges and opportunities for IT service management professionals.
Previously held positions in IT research and analysis (at IT industry analyst firms Ovum and Forrester and the UK Post Office), IT service management consultancy, enterprise IT service desk and IT service management, IT asset management, innovation and creativity facilitation, project management, finance consultancy, internal audit, and product marketing for a SaaS IT service management technology vendor.
