Are IT Service Management and AI a perfect match?

Explore how AI is reshaping IT Service Management by moving beyond simple automation to deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions.

The case for automation in ITSM

IT teams have always been at the forefront of improving efficiency, advocating to automate tasks, and structuring data to help businesses work smarter. Over time, this reliance on IT has grown so much that a lot of organisations simply cannot function without it. But as IT and technology becomes more complex and continues to evolve, the challenge of keeping everything running smoothly has never been greater.

The complexity challenge

Modern IT environments are a mix of cloud platforms, hybrid setups, big data, AI technologies, and microservices architectures. With this diversity comes complexity, and a growing struggle to find and retain skilled staff. Highly qualified professionals are often bogged down with repetitive tasks like handling standard incidents and service requests, which Gartner estimates make up about 60% of service desk activity. This not only wastes valuable expertise but also impacts morale and increases the risk of human error.

Why automation matters

Automation offers a way forward. By automating routine tasks, IT teams can free up time for more strategic work, improve throughput, and reduce errors. But traditional automation, triggered manually or through rigid business rules, has its limits. In today’s dynamic IT landscape, managing thousands of rules across dispersed platforms is cumbersome and prone to inconsistency. It still takes a lot of manual management.

The role of AI in ITSM

This is where AI comes in and is starting to redefine how IT service management operates. Unlike static business rules, AI can interpret conversational data, adapt to changing conditions, and make intelligent decisions based on context. This flexibility enables smarter orchestration of automation, reducing complexity and improving responsiveness across IT ecosystems.

When automation first entered the ITSM market, it was seen as a groundbreaking novelty and everyone was amazed by its ability to streamline repetitive tasks. Today, automation has evolved far beyond those early capabilities, becoming smarter, more adaptive, and powered by AI. To stay competitive, businesses must leverage this advanced automation to their advantage, transforming IT operations into a strategic enabler rather than just a support function. For IT departments under pressure to support digital transformation and rapid business change, AI-driven automation isn’t just a nice-to-have, but is essential.

The future of ITSM lies in combining automation with intelligence. By embracing AI, organisations can offload commodity work, empower skilled staff to focus on innovation, and ensure IT keeps pace with business demands. Yet, the market is increasingly convoluted, crowded with tools, platforms, and promises, making it difficult to know which direction to take. Choosing the right approach is critical to avoid wasted investment and missed opportunities. 

This is where guidance from ITSM experts like us becomes invaluable. With decades of experience and deep industry knowledge, Marval helps organisations navigate complexity and move forward with confidence, whilst building strategies that deliver real value and future-proof IT operations.

Don’t let complexity slow you down. Let Marval guide your journey toward intelligent service management. Let's talk.