Ever since generative AI's debut in late 2022, ERP vendors have raced to embed its human-like communication, research and analytical capabilities into their software. Besides responding to customer demand for AI, they're keen to use the technology to make their complex systems easier to use and more responsive.

At its annual Sapphire 2024 conference in Orlando, Florida, the biggest ERP vendor, SAP, made generative AI the focus of almost every major product announcement, stage presentation and demo. It also announced AI partnerships with Nvidia, Microsoft and Google and significant enhancements to its Rise with SAP program, which is designed to ease the transition to SAP's newest ERP platform, S/4HANA Cloud.

In this podcast, TechTarget Industry Editor David Essex and News Writer Jim O'Donnell discuss the major developments at Sapphire and what they mean for SAP and its customers.

Other topics discussed in the podcast include:

• SAP's plans to make its Joule generative AI assistant the new user interface to its business applications
• the surprise announcement that SAP is buying WalkMe, a digital adoption platform, for $1.5 billion dollars
• how the role of implementation partners such as Deloitte, EY and PwC in S/4HANA migration is evolving
• SAP's advocacy of an ERP "clean core" as a foundation for multitenant SaaS applications
• where the Sapphire announcements leave SAP in the generative AI race against ERP competitors

Host: David Essex, Industry Editor, TechTarget