JumpCloud announced the findings from its Q1 2024 SME IT Trends Report: “State of IT 2024: The Rise of AI, Economic Uncertainty, and Evolving Security Threats.” This report provides updated survey results and findings to compliment its bi-annual SME IT Trends Report, first released in 2021. The latest edition delves into the impact of AI on identity management, security challenges, economic uncertainties and growing reliance on MSPs in IT operations.
The concept is to gain unique insight into the day-to-day experiences of the IT professionals who power and secure operations without an enterprise-level budget or staff. Results were pulled from administrators in the U.S., the U.K. and India, and indicated how quickly AI has impacted identity management while highlighting the hopes and fears that arise in response. Of note, a “strong” majority of respondents are either planning or actively implementing within the next year, actively advocating for AI investment. Top concerns surround organizations’ current ability to secure against related threats, in addition to worries about AI’s impact on their career.
“While AI is the buzzword that grabs headlines, it’s security that remains a paramount concern for IT teams given the increasing sophistication of external threats and rising regulatory pressures,” said Rajat Bhargava, CEO, JumpCloud. “And it’s only getting worse. We found that 56 percent of admins agree that they’re more concerned about their organization’s security posture now than they were six months ago. To reduce this complexity and anxiety, organizations should look toward solutions that offer a unified, open identity and IT management approach. This can enhance security, mitigate operational disruptions and alleviate admin burnout.”
The majority of polled admins see AI as a net positive for their organization, and think that their company is approaching AI at the right pace, with optimism tempered by significant concerns about AI’s potential impact on security and individual careers.
In particular, only 13 percent of organizations do not plan to implement AI initiatives, and 76 percent agreeing that they should be. Additionally, 79 percent reported that AI will be a net positive, versus just 6 percent viewing it as negative. Most admins agree their organizations are approaching AI adoption at exactly the right speed (55 percent), which others think they are moving too quickly (22 percent) or too slowly (19 percent). At the same time, 62 percent feel that AI is outpacing their ability to protect against threats, with 45 percent worrying about AI’s impact on their job.
A few other top administrative concerns included:
- Layoffs, with 57 percent having experienced them over the past year.
- Budget cuts on security, with 72 percent agreeing that any cuts to their security budget will increase organizational risk
- 56 percent more concerned about security posture than six months ago.
- 88 percent reported vendors increased prices over the last six months.
To download the full report, click here.
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