In 2023, efficiency is the number one driving factor for change across many global organizations. Every piece of technology, every innovative thought, centers around it. Business leaders are looking to enhance productivity, reduce complexity, and achieve success quicker. In the search for efficiency, organizations 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 organizations for years now. However, more recently, through the rise of generative AI engines like ChatGPT, it has flourished in value and priority for organizations. CSIRO’s Australia’s AI ecosystem momentum report found 56 percent of AI providers believe the AI industry has the necessary expertise to deliver positive outcomes to Australian businesses.

Organizations 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 percent believe it will improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, and in 2023, when pressures are continuing to mount on organizations, especially IT teams, AI will prove crucial to optimize IT support and ease workloads.

An increasing need for IT means an increase in pressure

The change in workplace models has seen a range of new applications and technologies implemented into organizations to address the new way 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 all applications. GoTo’s latest IT Priories report highlighted that 92 percent of UK respondents want to alleviate the burden on IT and 83 percent of businesses consider consolidation of communication and IT management and support tools an important initiative for 2023.

When facing heightened pressures and stress, it is important IT teams are provided with high-quality tools to carry out operations. Failure to provide this leads to disengagement from employees and hinders business success. Organizations 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 capitalized on.

This becomes especially important given the current cyber landscape. Threats continue to rise as we witness a spate of high-profile data breaches and attacks. CSIRO’s report found 42 percent of respondents believe AI will improve security, and when combined with models like zero-trust architecture, which have become a necessity for organizations to remain secure, it can help dispersed organizations 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 organizations. Employees are able to operate 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 organizations, AI provides the opportunity for excellence. 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 in stretched IT staff. Organizations that utilize 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 learned 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 functions to run on a repeated process, rather than needing manual input every time.
• Provide an accurate set of eyes: Finally, AI can proof-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 prioritized. AI adds an extra layer of assessment and ensures quality remains strong during fast turnarounds.

As organizations move forward in 2023, AI will only become an increasingly valuable tool. Organizations will continue to face mounting pressures, and IT teams specifically are expected to see increased workloads as businesses continue to digitalize. 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 organizational operations.