AI: a tool that transforms IT efficiency

In 2023, efficiency is the number one driving factor for change across many Australian organisations. Every piece of technology, every innovative thought, centres around it, as business leaders look to enhance productivity, reduce complexity and achieve success quicker.

In the search for efficiency, organisations are now implementing tools that are reshaping the business landscape — all powered by AI. Through AI, immense efficiency can be harnessed, especially for IT support.

The exponential rise of AI

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been a development on the radar for a range of organisations for years now. However, more recently, through the rise of generative AI engines like ChatGPT, it has flourished in value and priority for organisations. CSIRO’s ‘Australia’s AI ecosystem momentum report’ report found 56% of AI providers believe the AI industry has the necessary expertise to deliver positive outcomes to Australian businesses.

Organisations have matured their understanding of and goals for AI, shifting from a narrow focus on chatbots and cost saving to a wider business objective of productivity and success. The report found that 31% believe it will improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, and in 2023, when cost pressures are continuing to mount on organisations, especially IT teams, AI will prove crucial to optimise IT support and ease workloads.

An increasing need for IT means an increase in workload and pressure

The change in workplace models has seen a range of new applications and technologies implemented into organisations to address the new ways of working. Many businesses frantically adopted a wide range of services to withstand the challenges of remote working, which, despite a short-term gain, provided more challenges in maintaining these disparate applications. GoTo’s recent ‘2023 IT Priorities Report’ found 52% of Australian organisations believe their IT team workload increased last year, with the top three reasons being more tasks to perform, more challenges related to remote working and increased pressure.

When facing heightened pressures and stress, it is important that IT teams are provided with high-quality tools to carry out operations efficiently. Failure to provide this leads to disengagement from employees and hinders business success. Organisations cannot approach technology with a set-and-forget approach, and it becomes pivotal for IT support that technology is continually updated and adapted to suit changing needs, and the latest advancements are capitalised on.

This becomes especially important given the current cyber landscape. Threats continue to rise, and Australia has recently witnessed a spate of high-profile data breaches and attacks. CSIRO’s report found 42% of respondents believe AI will improve security and, when combined with models like zero trust architecture, which have become a necessity for organisations to remain secure, it can help dispersed workforces within organisations to remain secure.

While cyber threats remain a prominent focus for IT teams, day-to-day issues will not disappear, so IT employees need to be equipped with technology that addresses all aspects of support across a business while still being easy to manage. When IT teams are provided with technology that improves their productivity, it will in turn improve the productivity of the rest of the organisation. Employees can work efficiently and engage with minimal technological issues and quick incident response times, enhancing the overall performance of the business.

Harnessing AI for IT support

For IT support in organisations, AI provides the opportunity to excel. For many IT workers, their increased workloads were not complemented by an increased amount of time to complete each task, leading to tighter deadlines and turnarounds for their job. AI can alleviate workloads by automating mundane tasks and reducing errors for stretched IT staff. Organisations that utilise artificial intelligence in their IT support technology stack can:

• Automate script writing: For time-poor IT workers, tasks such as script writing are integral but challenging, given how time-consuming they are. By automating script writing for device management, IT teams can reallocate time to addressing different tasks. Furthermore, for less-experienced IT workers who have not yet learnt how to write specific scripts, AI enables them to write required scripts without knowing the technical details of them, allowing for easier upskilling.
• Reduce repetitive working: IT teams are often faced with many repetitive tasks like resetting passwords, restarting machines and backing up files. Implementing AI solutions will once again allow for greater IT efficiency and place focus on higher-impact tasks by automating these tasks to run on a repeated and even augmented process through machine learning, rather than needing manual input every time.
• Provide an accurate set of eyes: Finally, AI can check activities as they are performed, reducing the likelihood of errors. When needing to complete a range of tasks quickly, accuracy can be compromised as speed is prioritised. AI adds an extra layer of assessment and ensures quality remains strong during fast turnarounds.
   

As organisations move forward in 2023, AI will only become an increasingly valuable tool. Organisations will continue to face mounting pressures, and IT teams specifically are expected to see increased workloads as businesses continue to digitalise. By implementing artificial intelligence into IT support, it will not only increase the productivity of IT support but create a ripple effect to improve the efficiency of all organisational operations.

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