Tech leaders investing in the promise of artificial intelligence to streamline operations are facing a sobering reality check. New data suggests that only 28 percent of AI infrastructure projects fully pay off, offering a complete return on investment (ROI). While the hype surrounding generative AI continues to drive corporate spending, the gap between deployment and actual financial gain remains significant.
The challenge lies in the complexity of integrating AI into existing legacy systems. For many organizations, the initial excitement of deploying a tool has not yet translated into measurable efficiency or cost savings. This disconnect highlights a critical need for more strategic implementation rather than broad, experimental adoption.
However, not all sectors of IT are seeing the same struggle. According to research from Gartner, IT Service Management (ITSM) is emerging as the area most likely to offer “wins” for companies attempting to realize value from their AI investments.
The ROI Gap in AI Infrastructure
The statistic that only 28 percent of utilize cases fully succeed indicates that the majority of AI infrastructure projects are either underperforming or failing to meet their primary financial objectives. This trend suggests that the “plug-and-play” expectation of AI is often unrealistic, as these tools require deep integration with high-quality data and specific workflow adjustments to be effective.
Infrastructure projects often fail when they focus on the technology itself rather than the specific business problem they are meant to solve. When AI is deployed without a clear path to ROI, the result is often a “pilot purgatory” where tools are functional but do not provide enough value to justify their operational costs.
Why ITSM is a Strong Candidate for AI Success
While broader infrastructure projects struggle, AI applications in IT Service Management are showing more promise. Gartner defines these applications as tools that augment and extend ITSM workflows using AI, which analyze ITSM data and metadata—primarily found in ITSM platforms—to provide intelligent advice and actions on ITSM practices and workflows.
ITSM is particularly suited for AI because it relies on structured data, such as service desk tickets and incident logs. This provides a rich foundation for AI to identify patterns, automate repetitive tasks, and suggest resolutions, leading to more immediate and measurable efficiency gains compared to more abstract infrastructure overhauls.
The impact of these tools is most visible in the IT service desk, where AI can reduce the burden on human agents by handling common queries and automating the routing of complex issues. By focusing on these high-impact, data-rich areas, companies are more likely to see the ROI that has eluded other AI initiatives.
Market Leadership and the Evolution of AI Agents
The shift toward more effective AI in the enterprise is too being driven by a move toward “AI Agents.” Unlike simple chatbots, these agents are designed to connect workflows across business systems and identify automation opportunities to accelerate deployment.
Industry leaders are already positioning themselves to capture this shift. For instance, ServiceNow has been recognized as the only vendor named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI Applications in ITSM report. This indicates a market trend where integrated platforms that combine AI with existing service management workflows are outperforming standalone AI tools.
As organizations move from initial initiatives to full implementation, the focus is shifting toward “Agent Studios” and design patterns that allow developers to solve tougher challenges and ship working solutions more rapidly. This transition from experimental AI to operational AI is essential for increasing the percentage of projects that actually pay off.
Key Takeaways for Tech Leaders
- Only 28 percent of AI infrastructure projects are currently achieving full ROI.
- IT Service Management (ITSM) is identified as one of the most promising areas for AI success.
- Successful AI deployment requires analyzing existing ITSM data and metadata to provide intelligent actions.
- The market is shifting toward AI agents that can connect workflows across various business systems.
- Integrated platforms are currently leading the way in delivering measurable value in the ITSM space.
As the industry moves forward, the focus will likely remain on refining the “use case” to ensure that AI is solving a specific, high-value problem. The next major checkpoint for the industry will be the continued release of 2025 market reports and vendor updates as companies strive to move beyond the 28 percent success rate.
Do you believe AI is overhyped in the infrastructure space, or are we simply in a learning phase? Share your thoughts in the comments below.