A study published on October 7, 2026 by WSJ Intelligence and Code and Theory, a Stagwell agency, surveyed 801 chief executives, technology chiefs, and marketing chiefs at US companies with at least $500 million in annual revenue. The findings describe what the report calls an "orchestration gap" between deploying AI tools and connecting them into a working enterprise system.
Respondents reported running an average of 183 AI tools, yet 85% said their AI stacks are disconnected. Only 15% of AI investments currently operate as a unified system with shared intelligence across the organization. One in four companies reported that no one is clearly accountable for coordinating AI across departments. Two-thirds of organizations also said they routinely uncover redundant AI investments, and 94% of respondents said better coordination between their tools is essential to business growth.
For CIOs and IT directors, the data is a practical prompt to audit what AI tools are actually in use across business units, identify overlaps, and clarify ownership. Many organizations that have approved AI tools department by department may find the same capability purchased multiple times, with no central view of cost or risk. Establishing a clear owner for AI coordination — whether an existing role or a new one — is a step the report's findings suggest most large organizations have not yet taken.
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