Automation crucial in preventing IT outages in Australia

PagerDuty has unveiled its fourth edition of the State of Digital Operations Report which examines the business impacts and sentiments around AI and automation in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to the report, 87% of Australian executives are anticipating another major incident akin to the global IT outage that occurred in July 2024. This anticipation is propelling the critical nature of automation in preventing and addressing future service disruptions.

The report reveals that 65% of respondents in the Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region identified automation as a key driver to reshape operational effectiveness and productivity. Furthermore, 46% of these respondents view Agentic AI as central to the future of IT operations, highlighting the region's forward-thinking approach towards new technologies.

When examining concerns around AI and automation, data security was the leading issue, with 33% of respondents citing it as a primary concern. Other notable concerns included developing talent (30%) and adopting automation at scale (31%).

43% of Australian companies are expecting their IT departments to have the most significant role in implementing proactive measures against potential outages.

"We also have available, Natalie Fair, PagerDuty's VP for APJ in the event you would like to hear more from her," a statement from the company added, indicating openness to further discussion on the topic.

The report also shares insights from 2025 survey data that captures the broader approach toward AI adoption among CIOs and CTOs, who are placing greater emphasis on return on investment as a key metric.

The data from over 1,100 operations leaders across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and APJ highlights that efficiency, security, and innovation are among the top priorities shaping IT operations in 2025.

64% of respondents are planning to increase their IT operations budgets in 2025 to facilitate ongoing investments in operational efficiency and resilience. Notably, enthusiasm for agentic AI is particularly strong among CIOs and CTOs, with 53% deeming it essential for future IT operations.

Data security is identified as the most significant challenge by 35% of the leaders surveyed, and the development of skills and capabilities needed to drive automation follows as another key issue at 31%.

The transition of AI from a nascent technology in 2024 to a central component of modern IT operations is underscored by survey respondents experiencing notable benefits, including operational efficiency gains (37%), enhanced customer experiences (36%), and improved data insights (38%).

Within the next one to two years, agentic AI is set to play a pivotal role, with 88% of respondents considering it integral or supplementary to their IT operations strategy.

Looking at cybersecurity, 71% of respondents are expecting an augmentation of security and operations budgets in 2025, contrasting with 14% who expect consolidations. Cybersecurity concerns are mainly concentrated in sectors dealing with valuable intellectual property and emerging technologies, with media companies (95%) and tech companies (94%) placing the highest emphasis on security measures.