AI keeps getting sold as the shortcut to better business outcomes, but a new Forrester study commissioned by Miro suggests something else is happening behind the scenes. Leaders are buying more AI tools than ever, yet their teams are getting pulled apart by the very technology that’s supposed to help them. The more AI organizations plug into their stack, the more scattered their work feels.
Executives in the study overwhelmingly say collaboration is the engine that keeps their companies moving. Nearly all of them point to teamwork as essential for hitting goals and staying competitive. But the daily reality inside those same companies looks nothing like the pitch decks. Workers bounce between apps just to finish basic tasks, and layering AI tools on top of that is turning simple workflows into a maze.
The report shows that most current AI tools are designed for individuals, not teams. They speed up writing, note-taking, and basic analysis, but they don’t help people actually work together. Three-quarters of leaders say this is the core issue. Instead of strengthening collaboration, today’s AI tools push employees into isolated workflows that make group projects harder, not easier. Some leaders even point out that this fractured approach is hurting their return on AI spending.
Miro’s position is that AI only becomes useful when it sits directly inside the shared workspace where teams plan, design, and build. The company isn’t shy about saying that modern AI skipped over the collaborative part of work entirely. Instead of supporting group decisions, AI tools drift around as separate assistants that never see the full picture. Whether you agree with Miro’s framing or not, the data shows leaders are getting frustrated with the disconnected tool landscape.
Another interesting point from the study is how quickly visual collaboration tools have become central to innovation. Leaders say their organizations increasingly rely on shared canvases to brainstorm and organize complex projects. That shift naturally raises expectations for AI to live inside those environments rather than become yet another tab competing for attention. And with more than a third of leaders struggling to keep up with AI’s rapid changes, the constant churn is making teamwork even harder to manage.
Despite the friction, optimism around AI hasn’t vanished. Business leaders still believe AI can improve customer experience, boost revenue, speed up decision-making, and automate repetitive tasks. Many see real potential for employees to focus on meaningful, strategic work instead of drowning in busywork. But what they want now is clearer: AI that understands project context, not just isolated snippets. AI that helps teams think together, not alone.
The study surveyed more than 500 decision-makers across North America, Europe, and Asia who are already integrating AI or preparing to. Their message is consistent across industries. AI adoption is exploding, but it’s happening in a way that fractures teamwork. Until organizations rethink how AI fits into shared workflows, productivity gains will stay stuck behind a wall of disconnected tools.
