In the past few years, AI adoption among SAP customers has rapidly become a practical business imperative. According to The Baer Group, organizations are increasingly deploying AI capabilities not only to automate work but also to enhance the success rate of transformation initiatives. Whether migrating to S/4HANA or implementing RISE with SAP, AI is helping enterprises reduce friction, boost agility, and accelerate time to value. Of course, no two SAP customers are the same. Each one uses a different set of solutions and is at a different stage in their transformation. However, everyone naturally recognizes the value of AI and aims to use it to improve efficiency, resilience, and gain a competitive edge. James Weller, Vice President, Capabilities,  Baer,  has identified five high-impact ways that SAP customers are currently using AI:

Five AI Use Cases Reshaping SAP Customer Strategy

1. Autonomous AI Agents and Copilots

One of the most noticeable advancements is the emergence of AI copilots built into SAP systems. SAP states that Joule can assist with up to 80% of routine business tasks across key departments like finance, HR, and customer service. Tools like these address real business problems and reveal insights by using and analyzing enterprise data.

2. Data Integration and AI-Driven Insights

Another key area of investment is intelligent data integration. Through platforms like SAP Business Data Cloud, developed in partnership with Databricks, companies are combining SAP and non-SAP data to enable comprehensive analytics. This allows AI models to provide smarter forecasts, KPIs, and decision support in real time.

3. AI for Change Management and User Adoption

Change fatigue is a common obstacle in ERP projects. To tackle it, SAP customers are now using AI to analyze user behavior and predict where resistance might happen. These insights help improve personalized training and communication, boosting adoption rates and minimizing disruption. AI tools integrated into SAP SuccessFactors, for example, are used to detect disengagement early.

4. Predictive and Proactive Customer Support

Support organizations are leveraging AI not only to address issues more quickly but also to prevent them entirely. By utilizing real-time monitoring and predictive analytics, SAP customers can anticipate system failures, optimize uptime during peak periods, and systematically address user feedback. These tools are helping shift support from a reactive to a proactive approach.

5. Industry-Specific AI Models

Generic AI is losing ground to specialized solutions. Baer reports that enterprises in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and retail are seeking models tailored to their data and business logic. SAP is responding by integrating targeted AI features into core products, such as scenario-based recommendations in SAP Integrated Business Planning (SAP IBP), industry-specific extensions in SAP S/4HANA, and industry templates in SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP).

What This Means for SAPinsiders

AI accelerates ERP adoption and mitigates resistance during transformation projects. Organizations implementing SAP S/4HANA, RISE with SAP, and other SAP applications can leverage AI to proactively manage change challenges. By examining user engagement, these tools enable project teams to direct support and training where it’s needed most. This leads to quicker adoption, fewer errors, and fewer delays. Embedded AI tools provide measurable value in finance, HR, and operations. SAP customers are already experiencing strong ROI from autonomous agents and specialized models. Baer  reports that a client significantly reduced time for repetitive activities, such as invoice processing time, with a custom-built Joule Copilot. Others are using AI to improve forecast accuracy, decrease customer support tickets, and accelerate onboarding. SAPinsiders should prepare for broader AI literacy across teams. Industry-specific AI capabilities are becoming crucial in SAP solutions. Generic AI tools no longer satisfy the complex needs of many enterprises. With support from partners like Baer , SAP’s effort to integrate vertical-specific intelligence means solutions are increasingly customized to the business context. SAPinsiders should assess AI tools not just for features, but also for how well they address industry challenges.