SAP Sapphire 2024 sought to deliver a powerful message: It’s all about empowering businesses to reach their full potential. Whether you attended the keynotes or took in the myriad of breakout sessions, there’s a wealth of innovation to discover. The key themes focused on Generative AI, Business Technology Platform (BTP), and RISE, although there was so much more to explore in the 3 days in Orlando.
Focus on Business Transformation: The overarching theme, “Bring out the best in your business,” underscored SAP’s commitment to providing solutions that drive real-world results. From employee experience to customer delight, the announcements focused on how businesses can leverage technology to transform and accelerate innovation. SAP continues to push innovation into the Cloud, partnering with the three large hyperscalers and tightly integrating many of the hyperscaler services to provide added value to SAP customers.
AI, AI, AI: Speaking to customers and other partners during the show, the expectations were that AI was going to be a central theme, and SAP did not disappoint. There were announcements including AWS, Azure, and NVIDIA that showcased SAP’s commitment to include best-of-breed AI capabilities in their products. Attendees gained insights into how AI is woven into the fabric of all SAP solutions from Philipp Herzig, SAP’s Chief AI Officer. Expect to see continued advancements in AI-powered automation, data analysis, and decision-making capabilities. In addition, offerings like SAP Build Code offer gen-AI-based code development with Joule copilot to accelerate innovation.
Partnerships Friendly: As usual, collaboration was a strong focus. Key partnerships with industry leaders like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and NVIDIA highlight SAP’s commitment to providing a comprehensive solution ecosystem. This collaborative approach ensures that businesses have access to the most advanced technologies and expertise.
Modernizing the SAP Landscape: Expect continued focus on increasing the capabilities of BTP to drive RISE and Cloud adoption. Speaking with customers and through informal polls in some sessions, many customers are barely scratching the surface of using BTP. As SAP releases more and more innovation on the platform, SAP customers will begin to see the value and come up with innovative solutions to differentiate in their respective industries.
Connecting: A big value of SAP Sapphire lies in the opportunity to connect with the broader SAP community. Attending in person provides the chance to network with industry peers, share best practices, and learn from experts in the field. For those who have been in the SAP ecosystem for some time, walking the show floor and attending evening events undoubtedly leads to seeing familiar faces and running into old friends.
Road Ahead: Even as Sapphire comes to an end, the learning, innovation, and chance to modernize SAP environments does not. Leaving the show helps to invigorate the ecosystem. Now it is time to put a strategy into action and execute to “Bring out the best in your business”.
