85% of IT leaders say that for AI to succeed, it will need to unify fragmented data and disconnected systems. Almost half cite security as their biggest challenge
Redwood City, California, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Business interest in AI-powered digital workplaces is strong, but adoption has not kept pace. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Simpplr found that while three-quarters of IT leaders surveyed are interested in implementing an AI-powered digital workplace platform, only one in four have actually done so, revealing a gap between ambition and the foundational work needed to close it.
“AI is exposing how fragmented the digital workplace is,” said Dhiraj Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Simpplr. “AI cannot scale if the digital workplace is not connected. Most organizations struggle because their knowledge, workflows, and systems are not designed to work together. Layering AI on top of that only compounds the problem.”
The study gathered the perspectives of 310 senior IT decision makers in North America and the UK responsible for digital workplace, employee experience, and AI technology strategy. Their answers point to fundamental problems that better models alone cannot solve.
Fragmented data leads to AI failure
The study found that “inappropriate AI behavior and outcomes are often due to a lack of organizational context rather than the underlying model.” [around it]“A unified context built on the resolution of disparate data ecosystems,” the report says, “is a non-negotiable for successful deployment of generative and agentic AI.”
Almost half (45%) identified lack of organizational context as the main reason why AI does not produce the desired results. A majority (85%) say AI will need to integrate fragmented data sources and knowledge systems to succeed, and 83% say integration challenges will become more difficult as more AI applications are layered on top of existing infrastructure.
Governance is the next wall
Knowing that AI requires better governance is one thing, but being able to implement it is another. Most respondents have attempted the basics, with 63% documenting their AI strategy, standards, and practices, and 62% implementing responsible AI standards.
Where organizations falter is execution. More than half (51%) say it remains difficult to implement AI observability across all initiatives, and 48% say the same about introducing new testing capabilities and implementing responsible AI standards.
As AI capabilities increase, the problem will only get worse. The capabilities that IT leaders desire most—end-to-end service automation, automatic integration between systems—require mature identity management, access control, and agent governance frameworks that most organizations haven’t yet built.
As the study notes, “governance will determine whether AI can move from distributed pilots to enterprise-wide strategies and approaches.” For most organizations, that move is still a long way off.
Deployment delayed due to security concerns
As AI moves from individual pilots to enterprise-wide deployments, security and access control have emerged as the most serious operational concerns. Almost half of respondents (49%) cited security and access control risks as one of their top concerns, making it the most commonly cited challenge in the survey. More than three-quarters (78%) say their organization needs a better security framework to securely scale AI.
End-to-end service automation and automated system-wide integration raise the most poignant questions about access control. 41% expressed concerns about AI automatically discovering and connecting disparate systems and automating employee services end-to-end. My intentions are clear. The infrastructure to support it securely is not yet in place.
Employee productivity is the main focus
IT leaders surveyed are investing in workplace AI primarily for operational reasons. That means increasing speed and agility and increasing employee productivity and efficiency (65%) rather than driving revenue growth (43%). Most companies viewed profitability as the downstream result of getting the operational fundamentals right in the first place.
What IT leaders want most from AI reflects this focus. More than half (51%) say AI to handle routine tasks, freeing up employees to focus on higher-value work, will have the biggest positive impact on employee experience. Significantly reduced the time spent searching for second-ranked information by 50%.
Leaders focus on integrated platforms
Most respondents expressed interest in AI-powered digital workplace platforms to address fragmentation and bring knowledge, workflows, and governance onto a more coherent foundation.
Three quarters (75%) expressed interest in adopting such a platform. Almost a quarter have already taken it. Expected benefits align directly with IT leaders’ goals of increasing employee productivity (68%), increasing operational agility (55%), and improving the employee experience (55%).
Realizing and scaling the full value of AI in the digital workplace requires a strong foundational framework. Organizations need to establish a unified data environment, interconnected knowledge systems, clearly defined governance structures, and the organizational context necessary for AI to operate effectively across workflows.
With these elements in place, IT leaders can move from individual initiatives to enterprise-wide deployments that measurably improve employee experience, operational efficiency, and overall organizational performance.
access research
Download your free copy of AI Highlights the Limits and Potential of the Digital Workplace, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Simpplr.
About research
Forrester Consulting conducted an online survey of 310 IT decision makers at the director level and above in North America and the United Kingdom. All respondents are responsible for digital workplace, employee experience, and/or AI tools and technology strategy in organizations with 1,500 or more employees. This study was conducted in January and February 2026.
About Simpplr
Simpplr is an AI-powered intranet for integrating the digital workplace. Bring people, trusted knowledge, apps, and agents into a consistent digital experience. Powered by the unique EX Knowledge Graph, the platform synthesizes signals and context across connected systems to deliver relevant answers and actions in the flow of work, including through Simpplr’s enterprise search and conversational EX agents.
With low-code scalability, enterprise-grade security and governance, Simpplr is designed to scale across complex organizations. Over 1,000 organizations, including AAA, NHS, Penske, and Moderna, trust Simpplr to make their employees more connected and productive. For more information, please visit simpplr.com.
Media contact:
Carolyn Clark, Vice President of Communications and Employee Experience Strategy, Simpplr [email protected]
source simple
