The rate of IT departments adopting AI and machine learning tools and technologies is stalling, according to new data published by SolarWinds.

The software company said that over half (52%) of 270 IT professionals surveyed globally say they have not adopted any form of ML.

SolarWinds found that approximately 43% of surveyed organizations have not adopted an AIOps approach to infrastructure management, and only 15% plan to do so in the next 12 months.

The lack of adoption, according to SolarWinds, comes from increased economic pressures placed on business, which has tightened budgets. Also affecting adoption is inadequate in-house skills and different business priorities.

“We’ve emerged from a period of unmatched digital transformation and IT investment into a time of uncertainty in which budgets are under a microscope. Alongside this, IT complexity is only putting additional strain on teams,” said Sascha Giese, head geek at SolarWinds.

“As a result, taking an AIOps approach and implementing ML tools is a daunting or seemingly unachievable task for many IT departments. If vendors want businesses to implement their tools, the process needs to be as simple as possible and provide a tangible benefit to those making budget decisions.”

Findings of SolarWinds’s survey, which was completed in September 2022 and released this week, align with those of McKinsey. Last December, McKinsey found that the number of companies adopting AI remains steady, but companies’ use of AI capabilities has taken off.