The AI Buffet — Serving up SAP’s AI Treats

Sid Bhattacharya
4 min readJul 27, 2024

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SAPBusinessAI AIInnovation

In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, businesses are scrambling to understand and implement AI solutions that can give them a competitive edge.

But what does AI really mean for the workplace, and how can companies leverage it effectively? These questions and more were explored in depth during a recent episode of the A-Eye-Podcast featuring Sourajit Ghosh, Chief Expert at SAP.

AI: Your New Workplace Best Friend

“Do you think in the future we will have AI coworkers with their own email address, their own org assignment and their own job titles?”

Gone are the days when AI was seen as a job-stealing boogeyman. AI is now viewed as a “personal best friend” in the workplace, augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them.

From assisting sales representatives in processing customer returns to providing insights for strategic decision-making, AI is becoming an indispensable tool across various business functions.

The Job Transformation Revolution

“What are your thoughts on new job functions that were not there maybe two years back but now have to be brought in to organizations?”

While some feared AI would lead to widespread job losses, the reality is far more nuanced. AI is creating entirely new job roles that didn’t exist just a few years ago.

AI strategy consultants, data curators, and design thinkers are just a few examples of the emerging positions shaping the future of work.

SAP’s AI Arsenal: More Than Meets the Eye

Many listeners might be surprised to learn that SAP offers over 500 AI use cases across its various product suites. From the enterprise AI copilot SAP Joule to specialized solutions in Customer Experience and Supply Chain management, SAP is at the forefront of business AI innovation.

Read more on SAP’s latest AI releases here

SAP Business AI: Q2 2024 Release Highlights

SAP UX Latest 2024 Innovations in Public Cloud: Joule, GenAI and More

Implementing AI: It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All

What has been your experience when the rubber meets the road? When people are saying, let me pick these five use cases to get started with, what are you noticing as a common pattern?

One of the most valuable insights from the podcast is SAP’s approach to AI implementation. The importance of assessing a company’s AI maturity and creating tailored roadmaps for deployment.

This customer-centric approach ensures that businesses can leverage AI effectively, regardless of their current technological capabilities.

The Data Conundrum: Debunking the Big Data Myth

How does Joule know when to generate text-based outputs versus when to do basic, maybe statistical analysis or even basic querying and reporting?

Contrary to popular belief, not all AI implementations require massive datasets. SAP’s unified data platforms and comprehensive data strategy enable businesses to harness the power of AI, even with limited data resources.

Staying Ahead of the Curve: Resources for AI Skill Development

Where do people look for this information? Where do they reskill and how do they reskill based on their current profile?

For professionals looking to upskill in AI, a combination of SAP-specific resources like SAP Learning for Partners and broader educational content from academic white papers and tech blogs.

The key is hands-on experience with AI tools. Here are some links to get started -

SAP PartnerEdge

SAP Community Page on AI and ML

Customer Sentiments and Concerns

What are the few questions that you get based on your presentations? What is stopping people from maybe getting into a project or implementing AI or activating AI?

A shift from skepticism to cautious optimism among customers. While there’s growing enthusiasm for AI adoption, businesses remain cautious about data privacy and security concerns, especially in regulated industries. Interestingly, the fear of missing out (FOMO) is now a bigger driver than skepticism in AI adoption.

The Future is AI-Enabled (But Maybe Not Your Fridge… Yet)

When will I get that AI-enabled smart fridge that actually can look at the ingredients in my fridge and my behavior and tell me before I get hangry what kind of a meal I can prepare? Is that anytime in the next two years?

While we might not have AI-powered fridges ordering groceries for us just yet, the future of AI in business is bright. From more efficient processes to hyper-personalized customer experiences, AI is set to revolutionize how we work and live.

Want to dive deeper into the world of SAP Business AI?

Listen to the full interview with Sourajit Ghosh on the A-Eye-Podcast, available now on Spotify.

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Sid Bhattacharya

Global VP @sap @successfactors, passionate technologist. I write about ai, web3, analytics, hr, sap, apps and startups .