New EMA Research Reveals AI Adoption Gap in Network Operations

Survey of 458 IT professionals finds strong engagement with AI-driven NetOps, but only 35% report complete success

LAFAYETTE, Colo., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Management Associates (EMA™), a leading IT research and consulting firm, has released a new research report, "AI-Driven NetOps: How Enterprises are Embracing Intelligent Network Management Solutions," authored by Shamus McGillicuddy, vice president of research for network infrastructure and operations at EMA.

The study examines how enterprises are adopting AI-driven network management solutions, including both commercial offerings and internally developed tools. While the research shows that organizations are highly engaged with AI for network operations, it also reveals a significant execution gap: only 35% of respondents believe their AI-driven network management initiatives have been completely successful.

"Network data quality is the AI killer," McGillicuddy said. "Success with AI-driven networking correlates very strongly with confidence in data quality. Today's network operations struggle with a variety of data issues, including data collection errors, poor documentation, and proprietary data formats. IT organizations must clean up their network data before they invest in AI."

Since 2023, EMA's Network Infrastructure and Operations practice has closely tracked the evolution of AI in network management.  During this period, an AI revolution has occurred. Large language models (LLM) and AI agents have hit the mainstream, kicking off a gold rush of investment. In the IT industry, many vendors are doubling down on AI investment, moving beyond machine learning and leveraging LLMs and agents to develop sophisticated AI-driven IT operations capabilities that are moving the industry ever closer to autonomous operations. In the network infrastructure and operations world, leading vendors have identified AI technology as a key focus of innovation and differentiation. Moreover, EMA analysts have observed a shift in perspective among network engineers and architects. Whereas five years ago they were skeptical about the value of AI-driven network management, today, they expect AI solutions from their strategic vendors.  

The research highlights several challenges limiting AI success in NetOps today. Only 39% of respondents report complete confidence in their organization's ability to evaluate AI-driven network management solutions, and just 44% express full confidence in the quality of their network data to support AI initiatives. Despite these concerns, adoption continues to accelerate: 59% of organizations are using AI features provided by network management vendors, and 52% are training AI models using their own IT and security data.

The research explores:

• How enterprises are engaging with AI-driven network management solutions
• Which AI technologies are being adopted across NetOps teams
• How organizations are applying AI, the challenges they face, and the benefits they are realizing
• Emerging best practices for successful AI adoption in network operations

EMA's goal is to provide a snapshot of where IT organizations are with AI-driven network management and what they expect from the future.

This independent research is sponsored by BlueCat, Broadcom, EfficientIP, Gigamon, IBM, Infoblox, and Riverbed.

A detailed analysis of the research findings is available in the report, "AI-Driven NetOps: How Enterprises are Embracing Intelligent Network Management Solutions."

EMA will host a free webinar on January 27, featuring Shamus McGillicuddy, who will present key findings from the research and discuss what IT organizations must do to close the AI execution gap in network operations.

About EMA 
Founded in 1996, EMA is a leading IT research and consulting firm dedicated to delivering actionable insights across the evolving technology landscape. Through independent research, market analysis, and vendor evaluations, we empower organizations to make well-informed technology decisions. Our team of analysts combines practical experience with a deep understanding of industry best practices and emerging vendor solutions to help clients achieve their strategic objectives. Learn more about EMA research, analysis, and consulting services at https://www.enterprisemanagement.com and follow them on X and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Raleigh Gould
Enterprise Management Associates
303-543-9500
[email protected]

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SOURCE Enterprise Management Associates