AUSTIN, TEXAS – November 12, 2025 – Today, Deskpro, provider of the secure AI-powered help desk platform, released results from the “State of AI in Support Operations: Balancing Innovation and Compliance” survey, which quantifies how security and compliance requirements are creating distinct market segments with vastly different AI adoption rates. According to the data, 92% of technology companies are adopting AI for support operations, while companies in regulated industries are significantly lagging behind with a 58% adoption rate. This 34-point gap reflects a significant disconnect: organizations are eager to adopt AI-powered support solutions, but face significant barriers related to data security, compliance and regulatory requirements, and deployment flexibility. While market demand for AI support capabilities exists across all sectors, constraints lie in how compliance mandates and data privacy concerns limit deployment options.
According to the report, security has moved from a feature to a veto power in the technology procurement process. Eighty-one percent of organizations rate security as “critical” or “very important” when evaluating support technology, and 78% require IT or security team involvement in final technology purchasing decisions. This means IT and security leaders are controlling whether solutions get adopted, regardless of other platform capabilities. However, the timing of security validation differs dramatically by sector, explaining the wide AI adoption gap between industries:
"The AI adoption gap isn’t a technology problem, it’s an architecture problem," said Brad Murdoch, CEO of Deskpro. “Technology companies can adopt cloud-based AI because they're willing to move fast and validate security reactively. Financial services, healthcare, aerospace, and governments can’t do that. They need solutions that meet compliance requirements before deployment, not after. That architectural difference is precisely why current solutions are inadequate in regulated markets. The solutions winning in tech are structurally incompatible with regulated industries’ needs.”
The market is currently in an active transition. Fifty-three percent of organizations report they are currently in the pilot, planning, or active evaluation phases of AI implementation in their support operations, and focusing on defining their requirements before committing to long-term vendor partnerships. Additionally, 74% of organizations expect their focus on AI security to increase significantly over the next two years, signaling accelerating demand for solutions that address both innovation and compliance requirements simultaneously.
"Organizations are asking themselves a fundamental question: do I have to choose between AI capabilities and data sovereignty? The answer should be no,” continued Brad Murdoch, CEO of Deskpro. “The market is demanding solutions that deliver production-grade AI while keeping data within their own infrastructure and giving them freedom to choose their own AI providers. That combination is what will define the next generation of enterprise software.”
This analysis is based on a survey of 220+ professionals across IT, customer support, and HR functions conducted in 2025. Respondents represent organizations of varying sizes across technology, healthcare, financial services, government, and other sectors. The survey examined AI adoption patterns, security decision-making, compliance requirements, and organizational constraints.
Download the full “State of AI in Support Operations: Balancing Innovation and Compliance” survey report to explore adoption patterns by industry and organization type, specific compliance barriers by sector, deployment model preferences, and strategic recommendations for navigating the evolving AI-enabled help desk market.
Deskpro is the developer of AI-driven help desk software that empowers organizations worldwide to deliver exceptional customer and employee experiences that translate directly into tangible ROI, through improved customer and agent retention. Deskpro is the only help desk platform with enterprise-grade security, compliance, and data privacy, enabling all organizations to adopt and deploy AI, even in the most regulated industries and sovereign environments. Deskpro is available as a cloud service, and can also be deployed in VPCs, on-premise, private clouds, and sovereign clouds. Trusted by leading enterprises worldwide in banking, technology, financial services, healthcare systems, aerospace and defense, as well as government agencies, Deskpro is led by experts in enterprise software, customer experience, and customer support. Learn more at Deskpro.com.
Stephanie Floyd Bhava Communications for Deskpro deskpro@bhavacom.com