An AI Tsunami Is About to Hit Enterprise IT. Will It Sink or Become More Relevant Than Ever?
I had an enjoyable conversation with our MD, Costa Caravotas, about the pace at which AI is embedding itself into enterprise environments. It is moving faster than most IT teams can realistically keep up with, which raises a big question:
Is Enterprise IT at risk of losing relevance, or is it actually more critical than ever?
On one side, AI is helping business units become more independent. Teams are automating processes, analysing data, and even building their own solutions without leaning on IT. It is not quite the same, but it feels a lot like what we saw with the rise of low-code platforms and tools like Power Apps. The difference now is scale. If your IT landscape already feels a bit like spaghetti, imagine what it looks like when teams are building and layering on top of it at speed, without alignment or oversight.
This is where the real challenges start to surface.
Shadow AI is fast becoming the new Shadow IT. Business units and developers are experimenting with AI tools under the radar, often without governance. That creates a minefield of compliance issues, messy data pipelines, and growing security risks.
At the same time, IT teams are being asked to get across prompt engineering, model governance, and AI ethics, all while keeping everything else running. Let’s be honest. When IT can’t control something, the default response is usually to restrict or block it.
There’s also more pressure than ever to show a return on investment. Many AI projects launch with great excitement but lose momentum when they fail to deliver tangible business outcomes. And who’s tracking that value over time?
So, where does this AI Tsunami leave IT?
Enterprise IT needs to adapt quickly, not by trying to own AI but by enabling it. The role now is to make sure AI is implemented securely, governed responsibly, appropriately scaled, and used in a way that drives value. The companies that get this right won’t just be using AI. They’ll be thinking AI-first.
AI isn’t just changing how businesses work. It’s redefining what IT is here to do.
What’s your take? Are IT teams on the verge of being sidelined, or is this their chance to lead?
About Author
Rory McCrindle is the Head of Technology Consulting and Cloud at Integrove, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital innovation and cloud architecture solutions. Rory has consulted for leading companies in different industries across the Middle East, Africa and South America. In recent years, his focus has expanded to include sustainability, aviation, mining, and maritime industries, with a keen interest in AI. He has his finger on the pulse of the latest AI-related news and forecasts, making him an important voice in the AI space. Connect with Rory to chat about how Integrove can prepare your company to face the AI tsunami that is about to hit Enterprise IT.
