Forrester’s 2025 predictions anticipate that 75% of technology decision-makers will see their technical debt rise to a moderate or high level of severity by 2026 largely due to the rapid development of AI solutions, which are adding complexity to IT landscapes and legacy systems. As Forrester states, “to stem the tsunami of technical debt, tech leaders will triple the adoption of AI for IT operations platforms (AIOps).” 

Based on the current trajectory, the use of AI will be so common that IT leaders won’t need to call it explicitly, making terms like AIOps become obsolete over the next two years. As AI continues to integrate into business applications and companies begin deploying AI solutions more widely, enterprises will need to make heavy investments to reduce their levels of complexity and move towards ZeroOps, where IT operations require little, if any, human intervention. 

The Weight of Technical Debt

Technical debt remains a top barrier for many organizations, hindering innovation and diverting critical resources to maintain aging infrastructure. According to Forrester, only 21% of U.S. IT decision-makers report no significant technical debt, with 49% grappling with moderate levels and a concerning 30% facing high or critical debt. The adoption of  AI and automation for IT Operations is therefore a key element needed to overcome the obstacles in the path to digital transformation. 

My company’s recent survey on the state of AI automation in European enterprises reveals that organizations face several additional impediments in achieving autonomous operations, including budget constraints and a lack of necessary technical skills (both cited by 29% of respondents), along with difficulties in data collection and management (28%). 

Even with the desire to automate and accelerate the use of AI in their operations, we see that many organizations lack the resources, expertise, and data foundation required for successful implementation. Furthermore, the survey highlights a crucial gap between aspiration and reality, with 43% of organizations reporting that their current AI implementations still require more human intervention than wanted.  

To succeed this year, industries need a holistic approach that addresses the broader organizational and resource-related challenges hindering the effective adoption of AI and automation, while they also deal with their technical debt.

ZeroOps: A Long-Term Vision

Over the next year, enterprises will need to make heavy investments to reduce their levels of complexity. However, this is not a challenge that can be fully overcome in 2025 or even 2026. While some companies will focus on moving to SaaS and PaaS platforms, many will still need to keep critical workloads on legacy systems until they determine the best way to migrate. ZeroOps won’t happen overnight. To support this initiative, IT leaders must focus on building their applications that are resilient by design. 

To pave the way for ZeroOps, the next frontier of AIOps, enterprises must adopt a proactive approach to application design. Building resilience by design (i.e., ensuring that applications are robust, scalable, and adaptable) is essential requiring cultural transformation within IT teams. 

Modernization is not a one-size-fits-all journey, and enterprises need to prioritize modernization efforts based on a comprehensive assessment of technical debt. By identifying high-impact areas, enterprises can allocate resources effectively, balancing short-term operational needs with long-term strategic goals.

Meanwhile, intelligent automation solutions that leverage AI can help streamline processes, reduce manual intervention by auto-resolving well-known technical issues,  and improve system stability. These advancements not only mitigate the challenges of legacy systems but also position organizations for sustained success in a digital-first economy.

The Road Ahead

The journey toward ZeroOps is undeniably complex, particularly for industries entrenched in legacy systems and traditional service models. However, the potential benefits, from reduced operational costs to enhanced agility, make this transformation a worthwhile investment. 

Forrester’s projections signal a shift in how enterprises approach modernization. As organizations invest in AI and automation, the emphasis will move the needle toward predictive and preventive capabilities, minimizing disruptions and maximizing efficiency. These advancements will drive greater adoption, even in industries historically resistant to change.