Businesses struggling to integrate AI into tech stacks

New research reveals that more than 90% of enterprises are facing challenges when it comes to integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their tech stack. The study, conducted by Tray.io, highlights that although 96% of business are planning to utilise AI functionality to improve process efficiency, staff productivity, and customer satisfaction, a significant 73% report that more than half of their apps feature AI or AI-augmented capabilities. This rapid and widespread adoption of AI in SaaS apps is creating substantial integration issues within these businesses.

These difficulties span beyond mere technological integration and extend to a distinct discord in implementation strategies between executives and practitioners. According to the research, 48% of enterprise executives believe their company's AI strategy for the coming year should focus on constructing robust onnections between internal SaaS apps and AI. However, nearly 20% of practitioners assert that their organisation lacks an AI strategy altogether as it pertains to tech stacks and internal processes.

"Organisations face a tech stack doomsday as the wave of AI-enabled SaaS apps threatens progress," commented Tray.io CEO and co-founder Rich Waldron, describing the predicament faced by businesses attempting to manage potentially conflicting AI features across multiple applications. He stressed the need for centralising solutions, designed specifically for AI, to optimise business processes. Waldron identified the capability of such a platform to act as a "control centre," managing the infusion of AI into business functions and managing possible outcomes.

Misalignment between high-level decision-makers and those implementing these directives amplifies the issue. In fact, while 48% of executives claim their AI strategy for the next year is centred on establishing strong integrations between their internal SaaS apps and AI, only 32% of practitioners and team leads recognise this as a priority. Alarmingly, close to 20% of practitioners indicate their organisation has no AI strategy at all.

The research further disclosed significant barriers to AI implementation. Problems encompass provisioning and on-going management, integration, lack of implementation frameworks, and issues surrounding internal change management. Also of concern when implementing AI are data governance and the development of employee skills. Around 32% of executives anticipate resistance from employees during the implementation process.

Despite these difficulties, respondents expressed optimism regarding the potential of AI to revolutionise business operations. Anticipated benefits include improved process efficiency, enhanced productivity and higher customer satisfaction rates. IT has been identified as the primary beneficiary of AI application, followed by Product Development and Engineering, and Customer Service and Success. Respondents are hopeful AI will enhance productivity, simplify tasks, expedite decision-making, and offer templates and frameworks to improve job performance.

In summing up the research findings, Waldron emphasised that the research underscores the crucial need for a unified solution to manage the impending challenges businesses will face as they strive to integrate AI into their processes. "Enterprises will need to centralize on a single platform that simplifies development and ongoing management," concluded the Tray.io CEO.