Artificial intelligence is shaking the foundations of the tech industry, and SAP is no exception.

From its early days of basic automation, SAP's AI stack now includes advanced machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics.

These bold leaps forward aren't just progress—they're an AI revolution.

From automating financial forecasting to overhauling HR functions, you're about to discover how SAP and AI are giving businesses a sharp edge in a relentless digital race.

Ready to see how SAP's AI upgrades can reshape your business? Let’s get into it.

AI-driven enhancements in SAP solutions.

AI adoption has more than doubled in the last 5 years, seeping into every aspect of business life.

SAP is stepping up to meet these AI demands, upgrading core SAP modules like SAP S/4HANA, SAP Analytics Cloud, and SAP Leonardo.

Not simply adding AI bells and whistles, SAP is reinventing how businesses operate through these tech innovations:

Machine learning

SAP's ML technology can handle tedious business data entry, generate reports in seconds, and even predict when your machinery will need maintenance.

And it's getting more sophisticated by the second.

Take SAP Leonardo, for example. Predictive maintenance processes data from IoT sensors on machinery to forecast when a part might fail, allowing for proactive repairs that avoid costly downtimes.

Natural language processing (NLP)

Chatbots have come a seriously long way over the past few years.

That's all thanks to NLP.

NLP understands human language, allowing you to ask your SAP system questions in plain English and get instant, accurate responses.

Joule, SAP's generative AI copilot, is fast becoming the natural language interface across the SAP portfolio. Users can execute tasks 90% faster and access SAP Help Portal content 95% quicker without leaving their SAP applications.

Predictive Analytics

With predictive analytics, SAP becomes a strategic partner, helping you anticipate market changes and customer needs with remarkable accuracy.

For example, SAP Customer Experience solutions use predictive analytics to refine marketing campaigns, leading to more personalised ads and higher conversion rates.

Transforming business processes with AI and SAP.

SAP’s AI solutions are injecting a new level of efficiency, accuracy, and intelligence into everyday operations. 

Here's how:

Finance & accounting

SAP’s AI technology can process gigantic volumes  of financial data in real-time, spotting anomalies to detect fraud early and save companies from potential financial disasters.

Fraud detection: Essential for banks and other business contexts, SAP’s AI will flag unusual transactions for review, preventing financial losses before they happen.

Financial forecasting: SAP S/4HANA uses advanced AI analytics to predict cash flow by examining seasonal sales patterns. This allows businesses to forecast revenue dips or spikes, and proactively adjust their strategies. 

Expense data management: SAP Concur uses AI to audit expense reports automatically, maintaining compliance and highlighting areas where businesses can reduce costs.

Supply chain management

SAP's AI-driven solutions predict disruptions and suggest the best actions, making supply chains smarter, smoother, and more efficient. 

Demand planning: SAP uses AI to accurately predict demand. In SAP Integrated Business Planning, AI scours through market trends, historical data, and even social media signals to make precise predictions.

Inventory optimisation: With SAP's AI features, you can anticipate what products may go out of stock. This ensures products are always available when and where customers want them.

Logistics: SAP’s AI tech can even optimise logistics, evaluating traffic patterns, weather forecasts, and other variables to find the most efficient delivery routes. 

AI can even reroute real-time deliveries to dodge traffic jams, ensuring faster delivery times. This slashes costs and guarantees timely deliveries, leading to better customer retention.

Customer relationship management

AI-driven solutions from SAP are improving customer relationships by providing powerful tools to segment, predict, and personalise every interaction.

Targeted marketing: SAP Customer Experience solutions use AI to segment customers based on behaviour and preferences, making marketing campaigns more personalised and effective.

Sales optimization: AI dives into past sales data and predicts future trends, helping sales teams zero in on the most promising leads. This creates more targeted sales strategies and higher close rates. 

AI-powered chatbots: In SAP Service Cloud, AI chatbots tackle routine customer inquiries, freeing up human agents for more complex issues. AI chatbots also gather real-time customer feedback, providing valuable insights for product and service improvements.

Human resources

From sifting through CVs to guiding new hires through onboarding and monitoring employee satisfaction, SAP’s AI-driven tools are changing the way businesses manage their workforce

Efficient recruitment: In SAP SuccessFactors, AI matches job descriptions with CVs to pinpoint the best fit, slashing the time and effort required for recruitment. 

Faster onboarding: During onboarding, SAP AI guides new hires through training and documentation, quickly getting them up to speed. It also customises training programs based on the employee's role and experience, making onboarding more effective.

Employee engagement: SAP’s AI reviews employee survey feedback and data from other sources to track employee engagement levels. This allows HR professionals to spot potential issues before they escalate. 

Still haven’t migrated to S/4HANA? Get advice in our previous blog, “Budgeting For S4HANA: Mistakes You Can't Afford To Make.”

SAP AI success stories from major brands.

According to SAP, more than 27,000 customers are already reaping the rewards of SAP Business AI. Here are some standout success stories from major brands they’ve supported:

•  Team Liquid: Team Liquid, an industry leader in esports and gaming are saving a massive 10K hours every year by automating tasks in SAP.

•  Nestlé: Nestlé teamed up with SAP to make their operations smoother and faster. They've automated 70% of their hiring tasks with AI in SAP SuccessFactors, making recruitment much easier. 

•  FC Bayern: FC Bayern is using SAP's AI to make big improvements in HR and how they connect with fans. With SAP SuccessFactors, they've automated many HR tasks, saving time for their team. And with SAP Analytics Cloud, they get better insights into fan behaviour.

The future of AI and SAP: What's to come.

At SAP Sapphire 2024, SAP’s CEO Christian Klein introduced some amazing new technology that’s set to change the game.

Joule: AI Copilot

By the end of 2024, Joule, SAP's new generative AI copilot, will handle 80% of everyday tasks for SAP's 300 million users, potentially boosting productivity by 20%. 

Microsoft 365 integration

SAP is teaming up with Microsoft 365 Copilot to create a smooth, unified experience across both platforms. Whether you're using SAP or Microsoft tools, everything will work seamlessly together.

Generative AI hub

The new GenAI Hub lets customers and partners create custom AI solutions using models like GPT-4-Turbo and Google Gemini. It’s deeply integrated with SAP’s data and security, and already has over 80 partners on board, making it a hotspot for innovative AI-driven solutions.

RISE with SAP

RISE with SAP is helping over 6,000 customers transform digitally with more than 110,000 systems. The next phase includes dedicated enterprise architects and tools like SAP LeanIX and SAP Signavio, offering continuous support and innovation throughout the business lifecycle.

The AI-SAP revolution is here. Are you ready?

When it comes to AI solutions, SAP aren't just keeping up; they're leading the way.

As they continue to advance their AI services, they're making businesses more agile, responsive, and efficient. These advancements will drive better outcomes and set a remarkable new standard for the industry. 

Ready to bring the power of AI and SAP to your business? 

At RED Global, we can connect you with the best tech talent to make it happen. Book a strategy call today to shape a new future for your business.