Emerging trends in observability: GAI, AIOps, tools consolidation, and OpenTelemetry

In a 2024 survey conducted by Elastic and Dimensional Research, over 500 observability decision-makers provided insights into emerging trends in the field. The survey highlights a growing focus on business observability, tool consolidation, and the positive impact of AI, with organizations increasingly prioritizing the business outcomes of observability initiatives. Companies have reported significant benefits from observability, such as improved SLA compliance, automation, and customer satisfaction, with maturity in observability practices correlating with greater advantages. While OpenTelemetry is gaining traction as the industry standard, its adoption is still in the early stages, facing challenges like lack of vendor support. Generative AI, despite some skepticism, is seen as a way to enhance insights and reduce noise, offering faster problem-solving capabilities. As observability becomes integral to digital transformation, organizations are forming Centers of Excellence to centralize expertise and standardize practices, aiming for improved deployment speeds and better customer responses.