Companies are pouring money into AI tools, but most are not seeing a payoff, according to a new report from WSJ Intelligence and Code and Theory.

The survey of 801 C-suite executives at US companies with revenues above 500 million dollars found the average firm now uses 183 AI tools. Yet 85 per cent say they lack the systems to connect their technology together.

The report calls the problem an orchestration gap. Three in five executives say tool proliferation has left execution stagnant, while two-thirds have uncovered redundant investments in their stacks. Only 15 per cent say they operate as a unified system.

Ownership is also fragmented. Just 42 per cent say the CEO owns the AI strategy, against 57 per cent who point to technology leaders. The biggest barriers cited were culture at 61 per cent, data at 58 per cent and the absence of a central layer at 56 per cent.

The message for boards is blunt: 94 per cent agree orchestration is essential, and 85 per cent say AI must deliver measurable ROI. Spending more on tools, the report warns, will not fix a disconnected stack.