Overview
In the current digital era, many experts believe that artificial intelligence may lead the operational revolution in IT and service desk management. The belief is concrete enough that industry consultants have coined the term AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) to define and encapsulate the transformative nature of this movement. Simply put, AIOps is the application of artificial intelligence algorithms to key IT operations and functions. By combining AI algorithms with human intelligence and experience, businesses can produce more powerful IT service management (ITSM) capabilities. The merger of AI algorithms with human excellence provides enhanced visibility into the state and performance of IT systems upon which businesses depend and thrive.
How Can Artificial Intelligence and IT Operations Complement Each Other?
Any real and sustainable digital transformation depends on AIOps to enable IT to perform at the speed that modern business demands. In this way, AIOps is a portmanteau in the truest sense of the word. Rather than forcing artificial and human intelligence to compete with each other, AIOps enables AI and human abilities to work in tandem. For instance, AI uses a mathematical model to work with existing data sources, large data sets, event logs, and IT monitoring at unprecedented speed and accuracy. At the same time, IT operations depend on skilled managers to the empathetic interpretation of data, excellent customer service delivery, and knowledgeable adaption to changing a business or industry needs. AIOps allows both crucial sectors to work concurrently and in conjunction to produce great results.
A recent industry survey found that 91-percent of managers are interested in using AIOps to increase worker productivity. Furthermore, plenty of business owners have discovered the hard way that the old IT system playbooks are no longer applicable to digital, mobile, or cloud-based operations. Fortunately, understanding the top four ways that AIOps help IT professionals excel on the job helps managers provide the enriched ITSM department that each team needs to succeed.
Top Four Ways AIOps Can Help IT Professionals Excel on the Job
- AIOps Can Use Human Feedback to Make the System Adaptable to Changing Circumstances
According to Gartner Inc., the greatest challenges to modern IT infrastructure include the exponential increase of data volumes and data types, the influx of alarms and triggers in data and security monitoring, and the constantly evolving industry landscape. As Joe the IT Guy explains, these challenges can be increasingly frustrating for business executives who find themselves unprepared. Fortunately, AIOps can mitigate this by using continuous human feedback to make the system smarter. By very design, artificial intelligence can use algorithms to compute big data without crashing. IT operators can then input feedback in response to any changes in industry demands or company infrastructure. Once AIOps makes the required changes, IT professionals can feel more confident that the system has evolved with the business.
- AIOps Can Standardize and Expedite Problem Resolution
Some companies find that ITSM problems can occur when professionals work remotely or function at different levels of expertise. For example, Worker A may notice a database connection issue and search for a patch quickly if that is his area of expertise. However, Worker B may feel baffled by encountering the same connectivity issue. In the past, the team may have had to rely on a printed desk manual or protocol. With AIOps, however, the system can immediately cite an earlier fix and suggest further solutions to help Worker B. This means that the accurate problem resolution occurs for each issue — regardless of who happens to be on deck at the moment. In this way, AIOps helps the traditional playbook act more like a continuously updated manual.
- AIOps Can Help IT Teams Perform With Greater Productivity
A recent survey published in Harvard Business Review found that 77-percent of businesses reported a lower number of open-incident tickets after implementing an AI-powered operations system. Even more businesses reported a decrease in repetitive inquiries across the ticket life cycle and faster root-cause analysis. This resulted in greater efficiency and preemptive tools to help reduce the likelihood of incidents in the future. Furthermore, AIOps also helped reduce noise and distractions, allowing IT specialists to focus on their areas of expertise instead of getting sidetracked with irrelevant alerts.
- AIOps Can Open the Doors for Career Expansion and Growth
Although many people fear that AI will replace their jobs, experts now project that AIOps will help professional careers grow and evolve. Instead of relegating their days to tedious, repetitive, or boring tasks, IT professionals will now be able to specialize in data science or the latest operational development. These professionals will gain additional skills to manage a network of systems and lead their companies into success.
The Bottom Line
AIOps is the collaborative effort between artificial intelligence and IT operations. By providing unprecedented accuracy and data analysis, AIOps can integrate with the best ITSM departments and help organizations make the most of the digital era.