CIOs want to fix IT problems faster without expanding headcount, and many see AI adoption as the solution for their operations.

For ages, they’ve used things like automation and self-help portals to handle this, so their teams can solve issues quickly. Now, AI is getting involved, and lots of companies are trying to use it for their IT support. There’s been a ton of buzz, but leaders want proof that it actually works.

SolarWinds looked into how these new tools are doing. The company analysed a bunch of info from over 2,000 IT systems and 60,000 pieces of data collected over a year, from August 2024 to July 2025.

For their study, SolarWinds checked out AI stuff that’s supposed to make things easier, like automatically suggesting answers to tickets, finding helpful articles, and making summaries of problems. The results give a good idea of how much more efficient companies can get.

How much more efficient does AI make IT operations?

The main thing the report found is that it takes way less time to fix an IT issue after a company starts using AI.

Before AI, it took about 27.42 hours to solve a problem. After, it dropped to 22.55 hours. That’s about 17.8 percent faster, saving about 4.87 hours per problem. This lets IT teams spend more time on tricky stuff instead of getting bogged down with everyday issues.

This can save companies a bunch of money. The report talks about a medium-sized IT team handling 5,000 problems a year. By saving about 4.87 hours on each one, they’d get back 24,350 hours of work each year. If you figure a help desk person costs $28 an hour, that’s like saving over $680,000.

But it’s not just about saving money. The report says IT can use that time to work on important projects and fix problems before they happen. This helps IT go from just fixing things to actually helping the company do better.

The report also shows that there’s a big difference between companies that use AI and those that don’t. Companies using AI fix tickets in about 22.55 hours, while others take about 32.46 hours. That’s about a 30.5 percent difference which means almost 10 hours saved per problem for those using AI.

However, it’s not just about the AI

The report makes it clear that AI isn’t a magic fix for IT operations. It only works if you have good processes and are ready to make broader, company-wide changes.

The best example is a group called the ‘Top 10 AI Adopters’. These ten companies stood out because they cut their resolution times the most. They went from about 51 hours to 23 hours, which is more than half the time saved.

Their secret wasn’t special software, but how they used it. These companies all had one thing in common: they didn’t just try out AI as a side project. They made it a part of their daily work to help fix problems. The report basically says that AI works best when you also make changes to your processes and are willing to improve things.

The report also says that it helps to have a culture that’s already into things like self-service portals and automation. These teams are already trying to make their support desks strong and ready for anything. AI just works better when you have these things in place.

What to do if you’re in charge

The SolarWinds report shows that AI for IT support operations isn’t just a possibility, it can really work. Cutting resolution times by almost 18 percent is a big deal for leaders. Here’s what they should do:

• See where you’re at: Before you spend money, figure out how long it takes to fix things now. The report says the average for companies not using AI is about 32.46 hours. Knowing your own number helps you decide if it’s worth it.

• Make it part of the job: The top users show that it’s better to use AI every day than to just try it out on the side. This means making changes to how you work and focusing on making things better.

• AI is a tool, not a miracle: AI can really help speed things up, especially if you already have good IT practices. Check your knowledge base and automation rules. AI works best when you have clear processes in place.

• Figure out how much you can save: The report gives a simple way to show your team how much time and money AI can save. Just multiply the number of incidents you have each year by the average saving of 4.87 hours. This gives you a clear idea of how much more efficient you can be.

The difference between companies using AI and those who aren’t is growing. Leaders need to set up their operations so they can use AI to help IT become a real partner in the company’s success.

See also: China’s generative AI user base doubles to 515 million in six months

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