Report: AI ambition outpaces operational reality

Auvik's 2026 IT Trends Report reveals a widening gap between AI ambition and execution, as IT teams grapple with visibility gaps, shadow IT, and staffing shortages despite rising budgets, Channel Insider reports.

While 67% of respondents expressed optimism about AI, only 5% said AI is core to their operations. MSPs flagged shadow IT and shadow AI as top risks, with over 100,000 shadow AI apps identified in 2025 alone.

Governance remains uneven, with 76% of IT leaders reporting they have an AI policy, but only 42% of help desk staff do. Budgets increased for 49% of organizations, yet 48% cited lack of time as the main barrier to new initiatives, and 33% pointed to staffing shortages. Tool sprawl persists, with 36% of MSPs using 10 or more tools.

CEO Doug Murray noted that without full visibility into infrastructure, AI initiatives won't work, and blind spots won't disappear. The report also found a "maturity mirage," where organizations overestimate their readiness.

Office-first environments rose to 51% in 2026, but IT complexity hasn't eased as teams continue to support distributed users through remote access and SaaS platforms.