SAP user group chair warns of AI low-hanging fruit risks | Computer Weekly

"The UK and Ireland SAP User Group (UKISUG) Connect 25 conference has opened in Birmingham with a keynote session recognising the challenges business face. The user group itself has adapted to changes in the technology market such as the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in business applications and the economic climate that has a profound effect on its members' ability to deliver value with enterprise technology. In his keynote presentation, Conor Riordan, chair of UKISUG, said: "As an organisation, we have to change, to position ourselves as we move from the old to the new.""

"The user group has a 2030 plan, recognising the shifts in enterprise software. For instance, there is the shift to no-code and low-code tooling, which has implications on the agility of enterprise software development. Riordan noted that the current business climate and geopolitical volatility means that there is a huge pressure to reduce costs, leading to cuts in training budgets and the challenge of delivering more with less, adding: "We need to have process change.""

"Moving to a future where organisations are using data to make more dependable decisions, Riordan noted that SAP is moving to a dynamic ecosystem of applications and AI, but the challenge is how quickly businesses can start taking advantage of the AI now available in their business applications. "We see members say SAP AI will help them," Riordan said."

"But many are concerned how the new technology now available will deliver a return on investment (ROI). For Riordan, IT decision-makers need to be wary of tackling the so-called low-hanging fruit, the use cases that the industry sells to the executive team: "It is really complex work, and the low-hanging fruit is not that low hanging. It will take years, not months, to deliver value.""

UKISUG opened its Connect 25 conference in Birmingham acknowledging business challenges around technology adoption and cost pressures. The user group has adapted to AI emergence in business applications and broader economic volatility that affects members’ ability to deliver enterprise technology value. A 2030 plan recognises shifts toward no-code and low-code tooling, which will affect development agility. Cost reduction pressures are leading to cuts in training budgets and demand delivering more with fewer resources, requiring process change. SAP is transitioning to a dynamic ecosystem of applications and AI, but many organisations are only beginning AI initiatives and have concerns about ROI and timelines.

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