Forrester research: AI highlights the limits and potential of the digital workplace
A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Simpplr reveals the biggest obstacles to scaling AI.
Download the survey to learn:
- What IT leaders expect from AI investments (pp. 5–8)
- What prevents AI from producing reliable results (pp. 9–10)
- Which AI capabilities come with the greatest security risks (pp. 11–13)
- How digital workplace platforms are solving fragmentation (pp. 14–17)
- Recommendations for scaling AI across your organization (p. 18)
SNEAK PEEK
The gap between AI ambition and AI results remains wide
Most organizations intend to scale AI. What they’re missing is the foundation. Forrester’s research examines where enterprise AI investments are focused, what’s holding them back, and what it will take to move forward.
Most AI initiatives fall short because
data is fragmented
The vast majority (85%) of IT leaders say fragmented data and knowledge systems must be unified for AI to succeed. Nearly half (45%) say missing organizational context is the main reason AI fails to produce expected results. Better models won’t fix a broken foundation.
The capabilities leaders want most
are the hardest to secure
End-to-end automation and cross-system AI are among the capabilities IT leaders are most excited about, but they’re also the most difficult to govern safely. Most (78%) say they need stronger security frameworks before they can scale AI with confidence.
The metrics leaders track most are
the hardest to move
Improved productivity tops both the list of KPIs organizations are tracking (76%) and the list that needs the most improvement (72%). Research shows those goals are attainable but only when the right digital workplace foundation is in place.
Interest in unified platforms is high but adoption isn’t
Three-quarters of respondents expressed interest in AI-powered digital workplace platforms that bring together people, knowledge, and workflows. Only about 1 in 4 have actually adopted one — a significant gap between intention and execution.
Graphs based on 310 NA and UK decision-makers at the director level or higher in IT responsible for their organization’s digital workplace, employee experience, and/or AI tools or technology strategy. Source: Forrester’s Q1 2026 AI For Digital Workplace Technology Survey [E-66449]