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Enterprise AI has arrived, yet many tech organizations find themselves caught in a paradox: They’re pioneering AI solutions for their customers while struggling to harness AI's transformative power in their internal operations.
AI is evolving faster than most tech providers can effectively deploy it, according to new ServiceNow research about AI in the tech industry. This is widening the gap between promise and implementation.
Organizations face fragmented data landscapes across hundreds of applications, talent constraints that limit vision, and a tendency to simply "lift and shift" past processes rather than boldly reimagining the future.
Despite these challenges, tech organizations are embracing AI to reinvent their operating models—and drive experiences and outcomes that were previously unattainable. Let's explore how today's technology trailblazers are using AI to unlock new possibilities and create a decisive competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic marketplace.
AI in tech is the linchpin of modern enterprise architecture—systems that learn, adapt, and evolve to solve increasingly complex business challenges. AI is reshaping every aspect of tech, from software and hardware development to IT services.
Unlike traditional automation, which simply executes preprogrammed instructions, AI technologies actively interpret data, recognize patterns, and make decisions with minimal human intervention. By embedding AI across the technology stack, organizations can create an intelligent foundation that actively drives change instead of merely responding to it.
AI isn’t new to the tech industry. In fact, tech has the highest AI maturity score, according to our research. And 87% of the tech firms we surveyed plan to increase their AI investment in the next fiscal year.
Agentic AI—advanced AI with the ability to learn, adapt, and make sophisticated decisions autonomously—is making a huge impact on the tech industry. Nearly 40% of the tech firms in our study are already using agentic AI. Another 36% are considering adopting it within the next year.
Tech organizations are using agentic AI to:
- Interact with internal systems: 47% are creating seamless workflows that transcend traditional departmental boundaries.
- Act on customer inquiries: 47% are enhancing customer interactions with AI agents that deliver personalized, contextually relevant experiences across every channel.
- Write and edit code: 46% are revamping software development through AI-powered code writing and editing capabilities that accelerate innovation cycles.
- Address cybersecurity alerts: 43% are strengthening their security posture by autonomously detecting and responding to cybersecurity threats in real time.
Early agentic AI adopters saw on average an 11.9% increase in gross margin, compared to 8.9% for organizations not using agentic AI. Organizations using agentic AI also report enhanced productivity, superior experiences, and accelerated growth.
The ability to create seamlessly connected interactions across every touch point is transforming both customer and employee engagement. By handling complex tasks autonomously, agentic AI systems free human talent to focus on innovation and strategy.
In a world where data volumes are increasing exponentially, AI serves as the connective tissue that transforms disparate information into a unified source of truth. By linking previously isolated systems, AI helps enable tech leaders to make decisions based on complete information rather than fragmented views.
AI is changing how humans and technologies collaborate. By handling routine tasks, surfacing insights, and recommending actions based on comprehensive analysis, AI empowers tech leaders and their teams to focus on strategic innovation rather than maintenance and troubleshooting.
Most of the tech firms we surveyed report big gains from AI adoption:
- Higher productivity: 90%
- Better experiences: 88%
- Boosted revenue: 86%
The most successful tech organizations deploy AI as an enterprisewide system of intelligence, not isolated point solutions. Leading companies are implementing AI-powered transformation across critical areas, including:
- Dynamic pricing
- Fraud detection
- Fast decision-making
- New business opportunities
- Rapid response
- Customer feedback
- Data analysis
- Marketing strategy
- Adoption monitoring
- Proactive engagement
- Renewal intelligence
- Risk mitigation/churn prevention
- Success playbooks
- HR processes
- Product safety
- Predictive maintenance
- Supply chain optimization
- Case resolution
- Case deflection
- Reduced incident escalation
- Self-service
- Self-healing
- Event noise reduction
- Labor-intensive-process elimination
- Proactive management
- Seamless connectivity
AI is not taking over the tech industry. It's augmenting and elevating human potential across the landscape. Forward-thinking companies recognize that AI serves as a force multiplier for human creativity, strategic thinking, and innovation.
As an example, tech Pacesetters—the most AI-mature tech firms in our study—are more likely than other organizations to have AI innovation centers that put people to work to pilot next-generation AI solutions (54% versus 39%).
Pacesetters are paying close attention to the human side of AI adoption and taking measures to prioritize talent. The majority have launched upskilling initiatives to help ensure they have qualified talent to carry out their AI strategies. In addition:
- 87% have implemented training and support programs
- 69% host AI learning events
- 60% have identified AI champions to spearhead AI adoption
The future belongs to enterprises that can seamlessly integrate AI into their operating fabric. We're beyond the experimental phase and have entered the era of enterprise-grade AI—where systems of AI agents work in concert to address complex business challenges.
Tomorrow's market leaders are building AI strategies that align with their financial position and growth objectives to strengthen customer relationships, enhance brand loyalty, and scale efficiently—all while optimizing margins.
As AI continues its exponential evolution, the tech industry stands at the threshold of unprecedented transformation. The winners will be those that recognize that AI is a fundamental reimagining of how enterprises operate, compete, and create value.
Find out how ServiceNow can help you put AI to work in tech.
