TL;DR
We gave Notion AI a simple challenge: "Summarise five real user complaints into actionable insights."
What we got: clean bullets, generic takeaways, no prioritization, no context. Smart assistant? Yes. Second brain? Not even close.
Forest’s Verdict via Neuro Roots Index™ (NRI): → 52/100 → ✍️ Polished, yes. 🧠 Deep thinking, no.
Use it to tidy. Not to decide.
Here’s the setup
It was one of those Mondays. Too many tabs. Too many complaints. Not enough clarity. Product had questions. Support had receipts. PMs were neck-deep in Slack threads.
Someone said:
“Let’s just ask Notion AI to summarize all these support tickets?”
Cool. Let’s see if your “second brain” can handle real product noise.
We fed it five raw user complaints — straight from the inbox.
🧪 Real Scenario
Prompt:
Support Tickets:
“Hey, loading the dashboard takes too long, especially in the morning. Happens daily now.”
“Can’t figure out how to add a new user. The CTA blends into the background.”
“I love the tool, but every time I switch tabs, it logs me out randomly. Super annoying.”
“Are you planning to support dark mode soon? It’s hard to use at night.”
“The reporting export is confusing — I don’t know which filters are applied.”
🤖 Notion AI's Output:
Notion AI's result
Not bad. Clean. Clear. But… surface-level.
No ranking. No impact estimation. No prioritization. And zero strategic insight.
How We Evaluated It
Introducing the Neuro Roots Index™ (NRI) Ten sharp pillars. One honest verdict. Built for real teams doing real work.
Forest's NRI
NRI tests one thing:
Does it help you build what actually matters?
1. Strategic Fit = Does it align with business goals or user needs?
2. UX Flow Logic = Is the journey intuitive, usable, and goal-driven?
3. Modularity = Can you reuse and scale what it builds?
4. Copy Quality = Does the writing feel clear, human, and on-brand?
5. Visual Design = Is the layout visually intentional and legible?
6. Data Awareness = Can it adapt to context, input, or audience?
7. Brand Sensitivity = Does it reflect tone, voice, or identity?
8. Collaboration Fit = Can real teams iterate, or is it solo-only?
9. Usability & Editing = How easy is it to refine and update?
10. Use Case Match = Does it work for serious builds, or just quick demos?
Forest’s Neuro Roots Index™ (NRI) Breakdown
A 10-pillar system we use to score AI thinking depth — not just output speed.
Total NRI Score: 53 / 100
✅ Smart support.
❌ Shallow thinking.
Notion AI is useful — but don’t mistake it for a strategist.
Forest POV:
Notion AI didn’t bomb. But it didn’t blow us away either.
It’s like a straight-A intern:
✅ Organized. ✅ Polite.
❌ Can’t prioritize. ❌ Can’t lead the room.
It’ll help you start — but not finish. It saves time — but doesn’t spark strategy. And that’s the gap that matters most.
When It Works Best
✅Use Notion AI when you want to:
Summarizing meetings
Drafting raw notes
Creating content outlines
Cleaning up messy thoughts
❌Don’t count on it for:
Insight discovery
Strategic recommendations
Brand storytelling
Cross-functional docs
Why This Matters
Today’s product teams are drowning in data. We don’t need more words. We need clearer thinking.
And AI — even the good ones — don’t think like humans. They remix. They mimic. But they don’t know what matters yet.
At Forest, we use AI to move faster. But the clarity? That still comes from us.
👀 Coming Up Next...
We test the viral 3D web builder and ask: Is Dora just a playground — or a real product tool for teams?
Coming soon: full walkthrough, test prompts, and Forest’s NRI score.
Forest is a research-powered product studio.
We help teams move fast — with intention.
🔍 Insight First – Research leads every project
📦 Execution with Confidence – Modular, sprint-based delivery
📊 Credibility by Sharing – Tools, benchmarks, and honest scorecards
✨ Style That Connects – Bold, distinct, and human
Let’s stop building blindly. Let’s ship with clarity.
