What is autonomous IT? A Q&A with Kellie Romack

Autonomous IT consists of AI agents working together to find and fix problems before you even know they're problems. That’s the short answer.

To explain further, let’s zoom out for a second. For most CIOs, the service desk is central. We’re used to receiving a stream of help desk tickets and teams working manually to solve each one. But what if we could reimagine it from start to finish? 

With agentic AI, we’re creating autonomous workflows where AI handles everything from the first interaction with users to the diagnosis and resolution. That means our human agents get to do what they do best: resolve complex problems and build relationships. At the same time, users get their IT requests handled quickly—or don’t face those issues in the first place. Everybody wins. And that’s autonomous IT.

Here’s the truth: agentic AI isn’t a cure-all, but in the right context—right platform, right ecosystem—it’s a game changer. When you use AI for high-volume, repetitive tasks, you let your people lead with wonderment and curiosity, so they can strategize and innovate. Use AI to optimize your teams, multiply your impact, and let your talent shine. Investing in training and upskilling ensures that teams have the expertise to work alongside AI, unlocking its full potential to grow themselves and the business. The result? Less burnout, more big ideas, and a workforce empowered to tackle whatever comes next.

Silos are the biggest headache when it comes to implementing autonomous IT. It’s what I hear about most when I talk to fellow CIOs. Silos equal friction, wasted money, delays, and—most of all—teams and tech not talking to each other. In trying to implement AI, some teams are setting up an agent that’s glued to a single solution. It’s like human silos all over again.

To break down those silos and make the most of AI, you’ve got to design AI agents so they can make decisions and drive more efficient workflows, not just solve isolated problems. Connect the dots. Put your agents in an environment where data and workflows talk to each other. Now you’re unlocking amazing experiences for your teams and multiplying value for your customers. That’s where the magic happens.

The key here is orchestration. Successful organizations are working to link data, AI, and workflows to orchestrate a robust solution that drives growth across the enterprise. Don’t automate what you already do; reimagine the work from the ground up.

At ServiceNow, we take a platform approach to bust down silos and democratize AI. That’s how we scale: automating intelligence at the platform level. Since implementing autonomous IT, 90% of employee IT requests are handled by AI. We've redeployed 85% of service desk talent to higher-value work. And for the 15% of humans still on the service desk, we've transformed their roles. They're now managing their own AI Agents and focusing on VIP support. That’s huge. 

Education unlocks everything. I’m all for democratizing information and teaching people how agentic AI really works. I'd suggest hosting learning days, getting hands on with the technology, and building feedback loops. We’re moving agentic AI from a black box to a glass box. If people understand it, they’ll grow with it, use it, and make it even better. This is critical for any organization looking to make the jump to autonomous IT.

Readiness for autonomous IT starts with self-reflection. Ask yourself: are your current processes mostly manual and repetitive? Do you have data silos that slow down issue resolution? Are your IT teams bogged down by tickets instead of working on strategic initiatives? If the answer to any of these is yes, it's a signal that autonomous IT could help you.

True readiness means your organization is open to change, willing to invest in education and upskilling, and focused on empowering teams. Successful adoption happens in environments where there’s a culture of continuous learning and collaboration across departments. If you’re ready to invest in breaking down silos and designing smarter workflows, you’re ready to take advantage of the benefits autonomous IT has to offer. 

This is one of my favorite questions. As CIOs, we’re not heads down in our own lane. We’re connecting dots across the enterprise and the world, architecting the future with AI, and driving real business outcomes. My job is to solve problems, enable change makers, create amazing experiences, and, yes, bring in revenue.

Autonomous IT is a total reboot of how IT serves the business. This is the only approach that makes sense in a world where IT is no longer a back-office function but instead a core part of the business. With smart strategy, democratized education, and relentless orchestration, CIOs can lead the charge and shape a future where technology empowers everyone. Remember, you can go faster alone, but you go far (and fast!) together.