The mystery of AI for IT operations (AIOps) began as soon as it surfaced in the late 2010s. At the time, there was little guidance beyond the promise of AI/ML-driven insights, and tactical details were nearly nonexistent. Some tech leaders set out on this journey anyway, charting their own path forward, while vendors hijacked the AIOps term, further obscuring its capabilities. Confusion remains, but some organizations did make progress. This report looks at how some technology leaders persevered through their AIOps journey and delivered value for their organizations.