AI and automation
- IT help desks must evolve or face extinction in the age of AI
- Both AI and automation are expected to make them obsolete
- If they adapt, help desks can transform into ‘experience desks’
The traditional IT helpdesk, often the backbone of enterprise tech support, is facing a massive shift as digital landscapes become more complex and demanding, new research shows.
A report from Nexthink, based on a survey of 1,000 IT workers worldwide, has revealed growing concerns and excitement about the evolution of the service desk model and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on end-user computing (EUC) .
The short answer to this research is that traditional IT service desks will be “extinct” within a few years. Nearly four-fifths (79%) of IT workers believe traditional service desks will be unrecognizable within three years, while slightly fewer (77%) predict new technologies will make them obsolete by 2027.
The demise of traditional service desks
As businesses become increasingly dependent on complex digital systems, the number of incidents and technical issues has increased and IT departments are feeling the pressure to meet these demands.
The survey shows that the vast majority (87%) of IT workers believe that incident response is economically unsustainable without significant proactive capabilities.
The evolution of service desks is increasingly trending towards proactive IT solutions. Without this shift, there is a high risk that AI and automation will replace traditional roles in service management.
Nearly all IT professionals (96%) emphasize the need for more proactiveness in anticipating and addressing incidents. At the same time, 95% report that their departments are actively investing in strategies to become more proactive, recognizing that this transformation is essential to increasing organizational productivity.
Many IT professionals also foresee a shift to what they call the “experience desk.” The survey shows that 92% of respondents believe the service desk will transform to this new model, aimed at improving the overall employee experience. The shift to an experience-based model will require further training within IT departments.
Respondents also identified three key areas for development; understanding the employee experience; generative AI skills; and the ability to provide technology training. These competencies will become increasingly important as IT professionals work to tailor technical solutions to employee needs and preferences.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though: 96% of IT professionals are excited about the potential of AI-powered technologies to improve end-user computing, and believe it makes the field an attractive career path.
However, companies will face two problems: employee resistance and training barriers. 76% of respondents believe that employees will resist deploying their IT solutions, 75% predict that inadequate employee training is a major barrier, and 68% fear that these technological changes could impact their career prospects.
“The ultimate value of any technology is how well it enables people to do their jobs and how it impacts the overall productivity of the business,” said Yassine Zaied, Chief Strategy Officer of Nexthink. “Right now, companies are spending billions on digital transformation, but seeing mixed results at best.”
“Whether it’s underperforming devices, failed adoption projects or failed migrations, business efficiency is continually hampered by poor digital experiences. IT will be the enabler for all productivity improvements in the future, and this research shows that IT employees are already looking for “The only question is whether executives will invest in the resources needed to support them on this journey.” Zaied added.
