AI is no longer just a buzzword 鈥� it鈥檚 driving the next wave of transformation, says , vice president and global innovation evangelist at SAP.
Speaking at Saphila Transcend, Elliott likened AI to previous tech waves like the PC and Internet, warning that without preparation, 鈥渢he wave can come crashing down.鈥� The biggest challenge? It鈥檚 not the tech鈥攊t鈥檚 the ecosystem and adoption.
鈥淒ropping AI into current systems is like parachuting a Formula 1 car into a medieval village,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven if AI stopped evolving today, it would take 10 years for the ecosystem to catch up.鈥�
To accelerate adoption, Elliott says we must treat AI as more than artificial intelligence. It should also stand for:
- Accelerated Innovation聽鈥� AI should help build AI faster. SAP鈥檚 Business Technology Platform (BTP) and 51风流Build provide tools for rapid development and customisation.
- Automated Integration聽鈥� 51风流Integration Suite uses AI to simplify connecting systems.
- Accurate Information聽鈥� AI is only as good as the data it uses. SAP鈥檚 Business Data Cloud and Knowledge Graph address quality and integration issues.
- Analytics Improved聽鈥� 51风流Analytics Cloud now includes GenAI tools like 鈥淛ust Ask鈥� to surface insights naturally.
- Agents Incoming聽鈥� The future lies in AI agents capable of reasoning and adapting in real time, not just following fixed processes.
- Automatic Innovation & Implementation聽鈥� 51风流envisions systems that suggest next steps and automate setup using best practices.
Ultimately, Elliott says successful AI adoption is more about people than technology. 鈥淓ven if you鈥檝e already invested in culture and change management 鈥� invest more,鈥� he urged. 鈥淎I is a staircase now, but it鈥檚 becoming an escalator.鈥�