Salman Ali, Senior Manager – Solution Engineering, META, Riverbed Technology on how AIOps evolution can calm IT chaos in a digitally-driven world.
It’s often stated that today every organisation is a tech company. A quick look across the business landscape confirms this – banks have downsized physical branches in favour of mobile apps, retailers now compliment brick and mortar stores with impressive eCommerce experiences, and even traditional sectors like construction now have drones flying about sites capturing real-time data to be inputted into digital twins. This digital dependence translates, of course, to an IT dependence and any downtime or disruption to digital systems can bring business to a grinding halt. To hold off this threat, today’s IT teams rely on an abundance of monitoring tools but managing these can itself become a daunting challenge.
Fortunately, the ongoing wave of AI-powered transformation is turning the tide, throwing a much-needed lifeline to IT teams drowning in the deluge of alerts and false positives, enabling them to focus on genuine issues and pressing concerns, and optimise their resources effectively. Coined by Gartner, AIOps, or Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations, is perhaps one of the most exciting areas of AI. It delivers on all the promises – rapid ROI, enhanced operations, elevated digital experiences, reduced IT spend, the list goes on. And as with all things AI, it’s a space that’s rapidly evolving, with advancements that will further amplify the value it can bring to organisations.
Proactive AIOps Will Set the New Standard
Through 2025, AIOps is poised to shift from its traditional reactive approach—where problems are addressed only after they occur—to a proactive model. This evolution hinges on predictive analytics and advanced machine learning models that foresee potential failures before they manifest. Imagine a high-traffic e-commerce platform during a flash sale: instead of servers crashing under the load, proactive AIOps would predict the surge, allocate resources accordingly, and ensure a seamless shopping experience. Companies embracing this forward-looking approach will not only optimise operational efficiency and reduce downtime but also deliver exceptional user experiences, gaining a critical edge in a competitive market.
Expanding AIOps Beyond the Service Desk
In its early days, AIOps gained traction in automating routine service desk operations. Tasks like addressing password reset requests or resolving application hiccups were handled with impressive speed.
However, 2025 will see AIOps stepping into more complex arenas, tackling network and infrastructure challenges. Picture a sprawling corporate network in the Middle East—a hub connecting multiple data centres, office locations, and remote workers. AIOps will anticipate server overloads, pre-emptively reallocate resources, or mitigate network disruptions before users even notice an issue. This efficiency will cement AIOps as an essential tool for IT teams looking to streamline operations and cut costs.
Mainstream Adoption in Regulated Industries
Historically, industries such as banking, healthcare, and insurance in the Middle East have been cautious about embracing emerging technologies. Their stringent compliance requirements and aversion to risk have tempered the pace of innovation. However, 2025 will mark a turning point. The reliability and precision of AIOps make it an ideal solution for these sectors, where a single error can carry significant repercussions. Consider a regional bank managing millions of daily transactions. AIOps can flag anomalies in real-time, preventing disruptions while ensuring service compliance. With its ability to enhance security and reduce manual errors, AIOps will evolve from small-scale pilot programs to large-scale deployments in these sectors, driving improvements in efficiency and reliability.
The Rise of Pre-Packaged Automation Templates
The growing popularity of AIOps in 2025 will also bring about a practical solution for organisations hesitant to dive into complex implementations: pre-packaged automation templates. Think of these as the “plug-and-play” kits of the IT world. These ready-made solutions lower the entry barrier for companies with limited technical expertise or smaller IT budgets. In the Middle East, where many businesses are scaling rapidly, these templates will enable faster adoption and immediate ROI, turning AIOps into a more accessible and transformative tool.
Data Completeness as a Competitive Advantage
In an age dominated by data, the ability to manage and leverage it effectively will become a defining factor for success. Through 2025, the best AIOps solutions will process massive, comprehensive datasets without the need to pre-select or limit the data being analysed. This holistic approach will be a game-changer. Companies investing in architectures that support such data completeness will lead the AIOps market, enjoying insights and efficiencies their competitors simply can’t match.
A Catalyst for Transformation
The Middle East’s rapid digital transformation, bolstered by ambitious government initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s National AI Strategy, provides fertile ground for AIOps adoption. Through 2025, one thing will become increasingly clear – AIOps isn’t just a trend; it’s a cornerstone of the future IT landscape. By proactively identifying issues, expanding its capabilities, and enabling data-driven decision-making, AIOps will redefine how organisations operate and thrive in an increasingly digitally driven world.
