The future of artificial intelligence in IT outsourcing: Using AI to optimise processes

Maciej Kołodziejski – has been working in the IT industry for more than 4 years. He initially focused on the distribution and alignment of the best software/hardware solutions and now works as a Business Manager at ITDS, meeting the needs of global banking institutions in recruitment and project management. He has 6 years of experience in key account management. He is currently focused on recruiting and managing projects for global banking institutions. Graduated with a degree in IT – Internet Technologies and Multimedia Techniques from the Częstochowa University of Technology.

As technology evolves at a dizzying pace, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming one of the most important tools in IT. From automating simple tasks to making complex business decisions, AI has the potential to redefine industries and set new productivity standards. In the following article, I will explore how organisations in this industry can use AI to optimise their outsourcing processes and thereby increase their competitiveness and ability to innovate in the global marketplace.

IT market growth in Poland in 2023

Poland’s IT sector has experienced significant growth in 2023, earning the country the reputation of ‘Europe’s IT hub’. With the largest number of domestic IT companies on the continent, the sector is worth around PLN 70-85 billion and contributes 8-9% to the country’s GDP. The share of software and IT services is particularly growing, with a market share of around two-thirds and a trend towards 70%. 

There are about 50,000 software companies in Poland. The market has attracted significant investment from multinationals, including big brands such as Google, Samsung and Intel, which have set up R&D centres in Poland. A key factor in the success of the Polish IT sector is the availability of highly skilled professionals, with some of the most talented programmers in the world. Despite this progress, Poland faces challenges in fully integrating technology into businesses, which affects its DESI score (the main tool used by the European Commission to measure the level of digital performance of EU countries). This highlights the need for increased investment in digital transformation and technology integration to drive future market growth. 

How has the rise of AI affected the IT industry?

The expansion of AI in the IT industry is driving increased automation and process efficiency, while requiring IT professionals to adapt and develop new skills. The growing use of AI is evident in the increasing demand for specialists in areas such as machine learning and data analytics, as evidenced by market data such as the report. Nearly half of respondents see an increase in AI applications and an escalating demand for experts in this area.

Where does AI have a direct impact on the IT industry?

AI brings both challenges and opportunities to the IT industry, requiring IT professionals to adapt and develop skills related to new technologies.

• Process automation and efficiency: In the context of software development, AI can assist in identifying and fixing bugs in code, speeding up the process of developing and testing applications. 
• Data-driven decision making: With the ability to process and analyse large amounts of data, AI enables businesses to make more informed decisions. In the IT sector, this can translate into a better understanding of customer needs, optimising system performance or even predicting market trends. 
• Data security and privacy: AI plays an important role in improving the security of IT systems. Algorithms can detect and respond to cyber threats faster than traditional methods, ensuring data privacy and minimising the risk of business disruption. 
• Impact on IT talent development: The IT industry is experiencing a growing demand for AI-related skills. New job profiles are emerging, such as data engineers or machine learning specialists, driving the evolution of the IT job market. 
• Concerns and opportunities associated with AI: There is concern in the IT industry about the impact of AI on the job market, but so far the technology has created more jobs than it has eliminated. Professionals are planning to train to use AI tools, and employers are introducing upskilling and reskilling pathways for workers. 
• AI and the role of programmers: Currently, AI can perform routine, simple tasks such as generating fragments of code or running tests. However, skilled workers are still needed to operate and control AI. Programmers have an advantage over AI because of their unique ability to understand context and make informed decisions.​

How is AI influencing the development and optimisation of the outsourcing of IT engineers?

By analysing data, AI provides valuable insights into team performance, which enables organisations to source, manage and deploy human resources faster and more efficiently. This helps streamline outsourcing processes and enhance the quality of IT services. Three specific processes are discussed below, along with the relevant tools to manage them:

Project management and workflow automation

AI-enhanced tools such as Jira, Asana, SysAid and LLMs can schedule projects, automatically assign tasks based on skill matching and optimise resource allocation. These are the main aspects that can be optimised by AI: 

• Improved task prioritisation: AI analyses task parameters and prioritises tasks based on deadlines and resource availability. This level of automation not only optimises team performance, but also ensures that critical project tasks receive sufficient attention. This process reduces delays caused by misallocation of resources.
• Seamless team collaboration: Natural Language Processing (NLP) built into collaboration platforms promotes better understanding and interpretation of team conversations, and helps summarise discussions and extract key information. This results in more effective interactions and more transparent communication between employees. 
• AI virtual assistants: Assistants handle administrative tasks, from scheduling meetings to sending task reminders, allowing project managers to focus on strategic decisions and key tasks. 
• Data-driven insights: AI provides project managers with predictive insights that improve decision making. This helps to identify potential risks. 

Cybersecurity

In the context of outsourcing IT engineers, cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important due to the growing number of attacks. Companies are investing in AI to help cybersecurity professionals identify potential threats, implement preventive measures and speed up response times. Here are some AI tools that can be used to support these activities. 

• IBM Security QRadar

Uses IBM artificial intelligence to automatically investigate cyberattacks, identify higher-risk threats, and prioritise investigations. 

• Sophos’ Intercept X

This tool uses AI to monitor behaviour and activity to detect and respond to computer threats. It works by analysing network traffic and application behaviour, identifying malware, automatically responding to threats and continuously improving through adaptive protection.

• Cognito from Vectra AI

This is an AI-powered threat detection and response system for the cloud, data centres, IoT and enterprise networks. It collects, identifies and prioritises top risks in real-time and sends automated alerts to security personnel.

Software development and code review

AI-based tools are enabling organisations to perform previously time-consuming and labour-intensive tasks more efficiently and cost-effectively, ushering in a new era of automation, efficiency and optimisation. Within the context of specific trends and technologies in AI-based software development, there is a strong focus on platforms and software development tools that use artificial intelligence.

Code review is an automated process. It uses machine learning models to identify and fix bugs, optimise code performance and make recommendations for improvement. Software development and code review are key areas where AI tools are having a significant impact on IT outsourcing. Here are some ways AI tools can be used in these areas.

• Automation and efficiency: AI tools, such as code generators, can automate repetitive and routine tasks. This allows programmers to focus on the more complex and creative aspects of software design. 
• Intelligent code suggestions: AI can suggest optimisations and code fixes in real time, speeding up the development process and improving code quality. 
• Skills development: Programmers can learn new AI-based techniques and tools, developing their skills and adapting to evolving technology. 
• Improved quality control processes: AI can help create more complex test cases. To do this, AI analyses large amounts of code to identify patterns and potential problems, and suggests fixes and improvements that can increase software performance and reliability. 

In summary, the benefits to AI integration in IT outsourcing are multifaceted. They include not only operational and business aspects, but also security, innovation and market competitiveness. It is a field that is constantly evolving and creating new job opportunities in IT. ITDS is looking for the right people to join teams working on exciting and evolving projects for our clients across a range of industries. Find out what we can do for you!

Bibliography:

https://bank.pl/cyfrowy-lider-regionu-stan-polskiego-sektora-it/
https://cyberdefence24.pl/polityka-i-prawo/polska-nadal-nisko-w-rankingu-desi-cyfryzacja-kprm-podaje-przyczyny
https://itwiz.pl/co-przyniesie-2024-rok-w-cyberbezpieczenstwie/