Unlike traditional IT Service Management (ITSM), which centers on the tools, technology stacks, and operational infrastructure, AISM has a much wider scope. It acknowledges that while IT operations are a key input, the successful implementation of AI at an enterprise level—or AI@Enterprise—is significantly larger and more complex than managing technology alone.

The fundamental difference lies in where intelligence is located. AISM operates on the principle that enterprise intelligence is embedded not just in racks and software, but more importantly in the organization's data, people, and analytical culture. It gives significant weight to the "soft dimensions," such as the data savviness of employees, partners, and customers, and the influence of behavioral science.