According to new research by Opengear, 58% of senior leaders report complete implementation of AI in network management, with varying priorities based on risk and roles. The survey involved over 1,000 CIOs, CSOs, and network engineers across several countries, including the US and UK.

While 57% of network engineers expect a 25% increase in investment in AI over the next 2 to 3 years, only 49% of CIOs and CSOs share the same outlook. However, 70% of engineers believe the anticipated investment will fall short of meeting business objectives.

Divergent views emerge regarding barriers to AI adoption. Network engineers cite high initial investment costs (29%) as the leading obstacle, while CIOs and CSOs prioritize regulatory compliance (36%) and the lack of skilled personnel (30%).

There is also a disconnect in preparation strategies; senior leaders emphasize continuous monitoring and analytics (32%), while engineers focus on training (31%) and network resilience (26%).

The survey indicates a cautious approach to AI in cybersecurity, with two-thirds of CIOs and CSOs allocating just 4% to 10% of their IT budgets to AI. In contrast, 69% of network engineers believe that AI will significantly enhance their organizations’ responsiveness to cybersecurity incidents.

Patrick Quirk, SVP and General Manager at Opengear, noted, “The research pinpoints a difference in focus between the C-suite and network engineers, shaped by their respective roles and where they are in their AI implementation journey.” He emphasized the importance of collaboration between senior leadership and technical teams to align AI investments effectively.

Interestingly, while 29% of senior leaders believe the CIO should lead AI implementation, network engineers prefer the CSO to take the helm (22%), reflecting their emphasis on security considerations.