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Operations has overtaken IT as the top department for announced enterprise AI projects
In IoT Analytics' count of 734 announced generative and agentic AI projects from 2025 and Q1 2026, operations accounts for 22.8% and IT for 20.2%. IT led in the earlier period. About half of the projects come from technology companies.
Key figures
- 22.8% Of announced projects sit in operations, the top department. IT: 20.2% · base: 734 projects, 2025 and Q1 2026. (IoT Analytics, 26 Oct 2026)
Announced projects only. Technology companies account for 49.7% of the 2025 and Q1 2026 projects.
The early enterprise AI projects tended to start in the IT department, where new software usually goes to be tried on. A running count by IoT Analytics says that has changed, just.
Its analysis, published October 26, 2026, "tracks 1,533 generative and agentic AI projects that enterprises announced between Q4 2022 and Q1 2026." The finding here rests on a smaller set, "the 734 generative and agentic AI projects from 2025 and Q1 2026." Of those, "By main department, operations (22.8% of projects) has overtaken IT (20.2%)," with IT the leader in the 2022 to 2024 period.
Operations, in IoT Analytics' terms, is "the department that runs these workflows day to day." Overtaken is the source's word, and it is accurate. The margin is 22.8% to 20.2%, close enough to need the photo at the finish line.
AI has wandered out of the server room and into the part of the business that ships things. Narrowly, and on the companies' own announcements, which is how IoT Analytics counts it.
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