SAP: Weaving AI and Data into Supply Chain Orchestration

SAP has used its first-ever SAP Connect conference to unveil a suite of solutions that align artificial intelligence (AI), data and enterprise applications to improve performance across supply chains and business operations.

At the inaugural event in Las Vegas, the tech giant is showcasing how its AI assistant Joule, a newly-expanded data ecosystem and intelligent applications can all work in harmony across the SAP Business Suite.

The updates demonstrate SAP's ability to simplify decision-making, anticipate risks and improve execution speed across functions such as finance, procurement and logistics.

Muhammad Alam, Executive Board Member for SAP Product & Engineering, explains: “To thrive when volatility is the new normal, businesses need more than a patchwork of disparate best-of-breed applications.

"Our announcements today demonstrate the power of SAP Business Suite, where AI, data and applications come together in an experience to propel smarter decisions, faster execution and scalable transformation.”

Joule expands with assistants tailored by role

At the centre of these updates is Joule, SAP’s integrated AI system.

SAP has added a new set of role-based assistants inside Joule, with each designed to work alongside a specific job function. These assistants use data and application knowledge from across SAP Business Suite to support their human counterparts with real-time insights and task execution.

Each assistant acts as a coordinator, using relevant Joule Agents to perform complex tasks in areas such as people management and finance. For example, a People Manager Assistant now leads a group of AI agents, including a new People Intelligence Agent, helping managers identify and resolve compensation issues or performance bottlenecks.

In finance, SAP is introducing a new Financial Planning Assistant, bringing together agents such as the Cash Management Agent, which supports better cash flow management and interest yield improvement. These assistants are designed not only to support users in their own roles but also to work across business areas, handling challenges that span departments.

This network of AI-powered assistants helps streamline decisions and execution without removing the person from the process. Staff can focus on higher-value tasks by automating repetitive or complex operations in the background.

Presenting SAP Business Data Cloud Connect

AI depends on access to data, but in many organisations data remains trapped in separate systems.

SAP is addressing this issue with the launch of SAP Business Data Cloud Connect (SAP BDC Connect), which enables secure, bidirectional data sharing between SAP systems and external partner platforms.

SAP BDC Connect introduces zero-copy data sharing, which keeps data within SAP but makes it instantly usable in customers’ existing platforms. This removes the need to duplicate data or build complex pipelines, preserving both business context and security.

Databricks and Google Cloud become the first partners available through SAP BDC Connect. As announced earlier in 2025, Databricks remains available as a data service within SAP Business Data Cloud. Now, with the expansion through SAP BDC Connect, customers can use these connections to access trusted data products faster and make decisions based on real-time information.

This open data ecosystem improves how organisations handle analytics and AI projects, allowing data to move freely while remaining accurate, traceable and protected. The reduction in silos supports teams aiming to shift from static reports to live insights.

Reshaping supply chain and procurement

SAP is also bringing AI directly into its enterprise applications, with updates designed to turn data into decisions.

One new launch is SAP Supply Chain Orchestration, described as an AI-native solution. It connects Joule with a live knowledge graph to detect risk across multiple suppliers and coordinate responses.

Taking this approach enables companies to act on supply chain disruptions before they impact delivery or cost, instead of reacting once delays occur. The system keeps supply chains moving and helps limit unnecessary expenditure by identifying problems several tiers deep.

Alongside this, SAP has introduced SAP Engagement Cloud, a tool focused on using business context to improve communication with customers, suppliers and other partners. This personalised interaction model aims to improve stakeholder relationships and maintain service levels across touchpoints.

The next-generation SAP Ariba suite has also undergone updates. Built as an AI-native solution, it supports intelligent spend management. From sourcing to supplier collaboration, each step benefits from embedded intelligence, reducing manual steps and improving visibility throughout procurement.

These combined developments position SAP Business Suite as a platform where AI is not just a bolt-on feature but a core part of the business process, supporting continuous decision-making and business agility.