From systems to co-workers: SAP's new design for work

SAP Connect 2025 unveils a future where applications behave like intelligent co-workers, powered by role-aware agents, unified data, and AI-native workflows.

- By Shubhendu Parth

In Las Vegas this October, SAP drew a bold blueprint for enterprise transformation. SAP Connect 2025, its inaugural flagship event, did not simply showcase updates—it revealed a deeper strategic rewiring of enterprise applications through artificial intelligence, data fluidity, and agent-led automation.

The shift was articulated—in a clear and precise term—by Muhammad Alam, Member of the Executive Board of SAP, Product and Engineering. “We are not just embedding AI for the sake of features.

We are redefining how systems support users,” he said, outlining SAP’s move to turn its software into intelligent, autonomous co-workers for the digital era.

That narrative ran through every announcement. At the centre was a new generation of AI assistants— Joule Agents—built to work collaboratively across enterprise roles. SAP confirmed that more than 40 of these agents will go live by mid-2026. Unlike earlier chatbots or isolated automation bots, these agents are designed with embedded context and collaborative logic.

Consider the People Manager Assistant, coordinating seamlessly with the People Intelligence Agent to highlight compensation anomalies or workforce gaps. Or the Cash Management Agent, which is slated for Q1 2026 launch and is designed to reconcile bank statements, identify cash flow imbalances, and offer corrective strategies without user intervention. These are not tools built around tasks—they are software coworkers built around roles.

SAP's AI also now extends into border control. The International Trade Classification Agent, set to enter beta stage in December 2025, interprets export regulations and assigns accurate customs codes, thereby removing ambiguity from global trade operations.