SAP outlines unified AI-driven business strategy at Connect 2025

Company introduces new generation of role-based assistants and data connectivity tools to help enterprises align intelligence, operations, and decision-making.

At the first edition of SAP Connect, the company presented new developments that integrate artificial intelligence, data, and business applications into a single environment aimed at supporting enterprise decision-making and operational efficiency.

Muhammad Alam, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE for Product and Engineering, said that organizations facing market volatility need technology models that go beyond isolated applications.

“The announcements today reflect how SAP’s Business Suite brings AI, data, and applications together to support faster execution and more informed decisions,” Alam explained.

A central announcement was the evolution of Joule, SAP’s AI engine that operates across its business portfolio. The company introduced a new set of role-aware AI assistants, designed to collaborate with employees in specific business functions. Each assistant connects with specialized “Joule Agents” that manage discrete workflows or analytical tasks within the same environment.

For example, a People Manager Assistant can coordinate multiple agents — such as the new People Intelligence Agent, which identifies and helps address workforce issues including pay anomalies. Similarly, a Financial Planning Assistant works alongside tools like the Cash Management Agent, designed to monitor cash flow and optimize liquidity.

SAP says these assistants are intended to collaborate not only within specific departments but also across different business areas, helping teams address enterprise-wide challenges through a shared AI foundation.

To enhance data integration, SAP introduced Business Data Cloud (BDC) Connect, a secure framework that enables bidirectional data exchange between SAP systems and partner platforms. The technology allows access to business-ready data without duplication, maintaining context while avoiding additional storage or transfer costs.

Databricks and Google Cloud were announced as the first partners to integrate with BDC Connect, extending SAP’s open data ecosystem. The approach gives customers faster access to data products for analytics and AI applications, supporting real-time insight generation across systems.

The company also introduced several AI-native enterprise solutions. Among them is SAP Supply Chain Orchestration, which combines Joule’s intelligence with a live knowledge graph to detect supplier risks and coordinate responses, and SAP Engagement Cloud, designed to personalise interactions with customers and partners based on business context.

SAP also highlighted its next-generation Ariba procurement suite, built to embed AI into every stage of spend management, from sourcing to supplier engagement.

Together, these developments position AI and connected data systems as integral components of SAP’s enterprise strategy — tools that align operational execution with real-time business insight.