JumpCloud Inc. today released its Q1 2026 IT Trends Report, The Dual Disconnect: Why Your AI Maturity Now Fails to Scale. The report reveals a fundamental disconnect in the enterprise. While 40% of organizations believe they are AI mature, only 22% possess the objective IT foundation—or AI readiness—required to scale safely. As nearly every organization (99.6%) moves toward AI, the study warns that a fragmented IT infrastructure is leaving 60% of professionals unable to protect against rapidly evolving threats.
Key Findings Include:
- The maturity illusion: 40% of IT leaders self-assess as mature in their AI practices, yet only 22% meet the rigorous objective standards for leading AI readiness.
- Productivity vs. risk: 90% of leaders see productivity gains from AI, but 74% remain concerned about security risks. They’re specifically concerned about unauthorized data access and AI-generated phishing.
- The shadow AI reality: 61% of organizations report the use of unsanctioned AI tools, creating significant visibility and governance gaps.
- Unification as a solution: 85% of IT leaders agree that secure identity and access management (IAM) is critical for scaling AI safely.
“The data is clear: AI maturity isn’t measured by how fast you deploy, but by how securely you scale,” said Joel Rennich, senior vice president, product management, JumpCloud. “The maturity illusion exposes a dangerous reality—you cannot secure a dynamic AI layer on a fragmented operational base. As shadow AI and autonomous agents expand the attack surface, organizations must bridge the gap between their perceived capabilities and their actual infrastructure readiness. The path to scaling AI safely lies in IT unification: consolidating identity and access controls for both humans and bots to turn AI from a potential liability into a sustainable engine for growth.”
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