Organizations worldwide are racing to implement artificial intelligence. According to industry reports, 42% of organizations plan to invest in AI-related IT tools within six months, and 77% plan to implement AI initiatives within the next year. But there’s a critical problem most organizations haven’t considered: you can’t effectively deploy AI if you don’t know what IT assets you have.

As CEO of Teqtivity, an IT Asset Management (ITAM) solutions provider, I’ve seen firsthand how organizations struggle with this fundamental challenge. The rush to adopt AI technologies is creating a dangerous blind spot in enterprise technology management.

The Hidden Crisis in IT Asset Management

The current state of IT asset tracking across global organizations is alarming. Nearly 90% of IT administrators are concerned about devices or applications managed outside of IT, with 38% reporting they don’t have the ability or visibility to discover all applications in use. This lack of visibility becomes exponentially more dangerous when you add AI tools to the mix.

For international organizations, the complexity multiplies. Global IT teams must manage technology assets across different time zones, regulatory environments, and operational standards. When departments work in silos (for example: IT focusing on infrastructure, Finance tracking costs, HR managing employee equipment, and Security monitoring compliance), critical gaps emerge.

The financial impact is staggering. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a data breach has surged to $4.88 million, with 40% of these breaches involving data distributed across multiple environments. Meanwhile, 39% of organizations now spend 26-50% of their IT budget on licensing fees, up from 28% in 2024.

Why AI Makes Asset Management More Critical

Artificial intelligence implementations require unprecedented visibility into your technology ecosystem. AI tools need to integrate with existing systems, access data across platforms, and operate within security frameworks. Without proper IT Asset Management, organizations face several risks:

• Shadow AI Proliferation: Just as 88% of IT admins report concerns about shadow IT, unauthorized AI tool adoption is becoming a significant governance challenge. Employees are implementing AI solutions independently, creating security vulnerabilities and compliance gaps.
• Resource Misallocation: 85% of IT administrators want a single tool for IT management, yet 26% still use 11 or more tools. Adding AI solutions to an already fragmented technology stack without proper asset management creates operational chaos.
• Security Vulnerabilities: With 46% of organizations having experienced a cyberattack, 33% of those being AI-generated attacks, tracking every technology asset becomes critical for security teams.

International IT Asset Management Best Practices

Global organizations require sophisticated ITAM strategies that address cross-border complexities. Effective international IT Asset Management involves several key components:

• Unified Asset Visibility: Organizations need real-time tracking of hardware, software, and cloud resources across all locations. We recently worked with a client who improved their inventory accuracy from 13% to 95% within one month by implementing proper ITAM processes.
• Cross-Departmental Integration: Modern ITAM solutions must bridge departmental silos. When IT Asset Management systems integrate with HR onboarding workflows, Finance budgeting systems, and Security monitoring tools, organizations achieve better outcomes across all functions.
• Automated Compliance Tracking: For international operations, automated compliance monitoring ensures adherence to different regional regulations while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Lifecycle Management: Proper asset lifecycle management helps organizations optimize their technology investments, reduce waste, and maintain security standards across global operations.

Building the Foundation for AI Success

Organizations that establish robust IT Asset Management practices before implementing AI initiatives gain significant competitive advantages. While many leaders believe AI is outpacing their organization’s ability to protect against threats, companies with mature ITAM practices are turning this challenge into an opportunity.

Proper asset management enables:

• Strategic AI Deployment: Understanding your current technology landscape helps identify the best integration points for AI tools. Rather than adding AI solutions randomly across departments, organizations with complete asset visibility can map AI capabilities to existing workflows and ensure new AI tools complement rather than conflict with current systems. This prevents the IT sprawl that already affects teams.
• Risk Mitigation: Complete asset visibility supports security teams in protecting against AI-driven threats. With AI-generated attacks becoming more common, security teams need real-time visibility into every endpoint, application, and data flow. ITAM provides the foundation for security models by ensuring every asset is accounted for, monitored, and properly configured. When security teams know exactly what technology they have and where it’s deployed, they can respond to threats quickly and effectively.
• Cost Optimization: Clear visibility into technology spending helps organizations make informed decisions about AI investments. With licensing fees consuming an increasing portion of IT budgets, organizations cannot afford to add AI tools without understanding their current technology spend. ITAM enables teams to identify underutilized resources, consolidate redundant tools, and allocate AI budgets strategically.
• Compliance Assurance: Proper asset management supports regulatory requirements across different markets. As AI regulations evolve globally, organizations need comprehensive documentation of how AI tools access, process, and store data. ITAM provides the framework that compliance teams require to demonstrate responsible AI deployment across international operations.
• Operational Excellence: Mature ITAM practices enable the cross-departmental collaboration required for AI success. When IT, Finance, HR, and Security teams share real-time asset data, they can coordinate AI deployments that serve business objectives rather than departmental silos. This collaborative approach transforms AI from a technology experiment into a strategic business enabler.

Organizations that invest in foundational ITAM practices before pursuing AI initiatives are positioning themselves for sustainable competitive advantage.

The Path Forward

As AI reshapes every industry, organizations with complete asset visibility, cross-departmental alignment, and proactive technology management will set the pace while others struggle to catch up.

Before your organization makes its next AI investment, ask yourself: Do you know exactly what technology assets you have, where they are, and how they’re being used? If the answer is no, you’re not ready for AI. But with the right IT Asset Management foundation, you can position your organization to succeed in the AI gold rush while maintaining security, compliance, and operational excellence.

For more information about IT Asset Management solutions for global organizations, visit www.teqtivity.com.