Most Large U.S. Enterprises Struggle to Connect Disconnected AI Tech Stacks

A survey of 801 C-suite executives at major U.S. companies reveals that while enterprises have adopted an average of 183 artificial intelligence tools, 85% of them lack the systems to connect these technologies. This lack of integration has created an orchestration gap where strategic goals are stalling. Shares of Stagwell, Inc. Class A (NASDAQ:STGW), the parent company of the digital agency that co-authored the report, rose 1.47% to $8.625 on Wednesday.

The disconnect is preventing businesses from seeing a material return on their tech investments. Although 85% of executives demand measurable returns from AI, 60% report that the explosion of disconnected tools has left strategic execution stagnant. Furthermore, two-thirds of organizations regularly find redundant AI purchases, and only 15% of AI investments function as a unified system. Cultural and organizational hurdles are the primary barriers, with 42% of chief executive officers and 57% of technology leaders claiming ownership over AI orchestration.

Investors and enterprise leaders will watch whether companies begin implementing centralized orchestration layers to unify their data and tools. Currently, more than two-thirds of surveyed companies have not issued requests for proposals for centralized systems, and 78% of customer-facing channels still lack a unified data model. As AI agents become more prevalent, tracking whether organizations establish clear governance standards—which only 18% currently do for AI agents—will be critical to bridging the operational gap.