The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed it from an emerging technology into a core driver of mod-ern Information Technology (IT) systems. This study investigates the role of AI across IT domains through a mixed-methods approach, integrating secondary literature with primary data from 134 survey respondents and 12 expert interviews. The research adopts a descriptive and exploratory design to analyze current applications, benefits, and challenges while exploring future prospects. Findings indicate that AI is most extensively applied in data management and analytics, IT operations (AIOps), and cybersecurity, where it enables predictive maintenance, automated root cause analysis, and advanced threat detection. Benefits are concentrated in improved operational efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making, with cost reduction emerging as a secondary but strategic outcome. However, critical challenges persist, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, workforce skill gaps, and system interoperability. Both primary and secondary data emphasize that successful AI integration is less a technological issue than an organizational transformation requiring robust governance frameworks, ethical safe-guards, and continuous upskilling. The study concludes that AI delivers sustainable competitive advantage when aligned with human capital development and responsible implementation practices. These insights provide a holistic understanding of AI’s strategic role in IT and offer practical recommendations for ethical and effective adoption in organizational contexts.
Bello et al. (Fri,) studied this question.