Improving operational efficiency is the most cited driver for AI adoption
UAE companies are adopting cloud computing at a high rate and plan significant investment in AI within the next 15 months, a recent YouGov survey commissioned by SAP shows.
The survey examined several key factors for effective AI implementation including whether companies are operating their core business functions on the cloud, the extent of existing AI use, the quality of business data available, and the AI expertise of staff.
Of the UAE enterprises surveyed, 67% are already hosting their core business processes on the cloud, with a further 22% planning to do so within the next 15 months. Hosting enterprise resource planning solutions on the cloud maximizes the effectiveness of AI thanks to real-time data access, scalable computing power and the ability to integrate advanced AI models seamlessly into business processes.
Most companies were already leveraging some form of AI, mostly in business functions such as marketing and communications (42%), customer service (40%), sales (38%), and accounting and finance (38%), but less so in areas such as supply chain and logistics (27%) and product or services development (27%).
“SAP infuses AI across our enterprise cloud portfolio, enabling our customers to benefit immediately from AI-driven insights and enhancements to elevate all areas of operations, from finance to HR to supply chains,” stated Marwan Zeineddine, Managing Director, SAP UAE.
Improving AI accessibility
Among the major challenges business faced in AI implementation, the most cited were integration with existing systems and lack of skilled personnel, both identified by 43% of respondents, followed by privacy and security concerns, and associated costs, both identified by 40%.
SAP is also infusing Joule with AI agents to transform productivity and the way teams work. Joule’s agents collaborate across supply chain, procurement, finance, and more to perform multi-step cross-functional workflows.
As for the challenge of the growing demand for AI experts, Zeineddine says SAP is addressing this through training initiatives such as the SAP Dual Study Program and the SAP Young Professionals Program, which empower young people with skills and hands-on experience using the latest AI-infused SAP solutions.
