Analytics and AI

IFS's innovations at the Industrial X Unleashed event showcased partnerships with leading AI firms to integrate industry-specific solutions that enhance predictive maintenance, improve operational efficiency and transform asset management.

Workday has announced plans to buy Pipedream to enhance ERP-native automation with over 3,000 pre-built connectors, and partnered with Google BigQuery to improve data integration and analytics, while also expanding its Workday GO solution for global payroll and faster deployments.

At Rockwell Automation’s Automation Fair, CEO Blake Moret emphasized the future of manufacturing through simplified automation and AI integration, while Plex's Michael Hart highlighted the importance of structured data and human-centered autonomy in evolving from automation to smarter, more autonomous operations.

SAP users are increasingly incorporating AI agents into workflows, which introduce 'invisible autonomy' risks that necessitate oversight, prompting the launch of SAP Signavio's AI agent mining capability to enhance monitoring, efficiency, and performance assessment of these agents.

As companies rapidly adopt generative and autonomous AI technologies, effective governance has become essential to mitigate risks such as accuracy, bias, and compliance, necessitating executive oversight and coordinated efforts across various departments to ensure trust and accountability in AI deployments.

IBM integrates its Consulting Advantage with Microsoft Copilot to enhance efficiency for consultants, saving over 250,000 hours annually, by optimizing access to proprietary information within familiar Microsoft 365 applications while maintaining governance and oversight.

Microsoft is deepening its collaboration with OpenAI by leveraging the startup's custom chip designs for its own semiconductor strategy, while addressing concerns about AI hardware depreciation, which may influence enterprise decisions on long-term cloud and AI investments.

Microsoft is transforming its Dynamics 365 ERP by upgrading its Model Context Protocol from a static toolset to a dynamic, real-time gateway, integrating analytics and allowing extensive access to ERP functions for improved AI-enabled operations by December 2025.

Microsoft and OpenAI have released GPT-5.1 in Copilot Studio for US customers, offering two versions—Instant and Thinking—for enhanced reasoning and personalization, thereby supporting enterprise-scale adoption and allowing organizations to test advanced AI capabilities in a controlled environment.

A Basis Technologies study revealed that while 84% of organizations hesitate to make SAP changes, the adoption of AI-assisted intelligent change management tools is empowering change managers to execute strategic initiatives more efficiently and effectively.

Workday's recent acquisition of Sana aims to integrate AI-powered tools into its platform, enhancing productivity and user experiences through new AI agents and a seamless learning system, marking a significant shift towards intelligent ERP solutions.

IFS Loops has introduced digital workers to address staffing challenges in industrial organizations, offering out-of-the-box solutions for 10 roles that enhance efficiency and transparency, demonstrated by Kodiak Gas's significant ROI through their recent implementation.

Sage launched its AI Trust Label for Sage Intacct users in the US and UK, marking the beginning of a global rollout aimed at enhancing user confidence in AI by providing transparency about data usage, ethical practices, and compliance standards.

The Cisco AI Readiness Report reveals that while 97% of organizations prioritize urgent AI deployment, 92% are unprepared due to fragmented and siloed data across disparate systems, indicating a critical need for unified and clean foundational data to enable effective AI implementation.

Operations leaders are rapidly adopting AI as a critical tool for enhancing efficiency and decision-making, with many preparing their workforce to manage AI as they transition from manual processes to intelligent orchestration amid increasing workloads.

Deutsche Telekom and NVIDIA have partnered to invest €1 billion in the Industrial AI Cloud in Munich, aiming to create one of Europe's largest AI factories, enhancing Germany's AI capabilities by 50% with 0.5 exaFLOPS performance, while ensuring data sovereignty and compliance for European businesses.

Edward Sander and Jon Stevenson discuss how traditional banks can modernize operations and compete in the digital age by leveraging the EY Nexus Digital Marketplace and the EY-MoneyLion Alliance to overcome legacy systems and enhance customer engagement.

Sage launched a suite of AI-powered ERP tools at its event in Barcelona, enhancing capabilities for small- and medium-sized businesses with upgrades to Sage X3 and the upcoming Finance Intelligence Agent, underscoring the importance of AI in efficient tax and accounting operations.

ABAP, SAP's programming language essential for system customization, is transitioning to the ABAP Cloud Development Model, enhanced by AI tools that aid in code analysis and optimization while addressing documentation gaps left by past developers.

Sage has launched Sage 50 Cloud, a fully cloud-deployed accounting solution for SMBs that maintains its familiar interface while enabling AI features like Sage Copilot.

“We’re moving beyond the hype cycle into a period where AI’s real value is emerging. Yet, many manufacturers are struggling to bridge the gap between its potential and its practical implementation.” — TVN Reddy, CEO, Aptean

The AI boom is prompting organizations to revamp their pricing strategies, with Zuora's new monetization platform offering tools to manage dynamic service value, enhance customer visibility, and support scalability amidst unpredictable consumption patterns.

Infor has launched its Built for Industry AI Agents, generative AI tools tailored for specific sectors that automate workflows and improve operational efficiency, utilizing its cloud platform on AWS to provide contextual, industry-specific solutions without the need for custom coding.

AI adoption has reached a tipping point—but stand-alone models can only take you so far. True transformation requires Agentic AI, where intelligent agents orchestrate tasks across business processes, freeing up teams to focus on strategy and innovation. In this webinar on-demand, IBM and Oracle experts showcase how Agentic AI delivers scalable, accurate, and business-tailored outcomes across finance, supply chain, procurement and human resources. Drawing from insights and collaboration with clients at our Innovation Studio and client value accelerators, we explore: - Why point solutions and isolated models fall short of enterprise needs - How Agentic automation can significantly reduce manual work and accelerate time-to-value - What are the core factors that make or break an Agentic success story - Real-world examples of Agentic AI in action across Oracle Cloud solutions Watch now to see how IBM and Oracle’s collaborative approach helps organizations embed AI into their transformation journey—driving measurable ROI, efficiency, and competitive advantage.

Unit4's pragmatic AI integration in ERP systems aims to transform software from mere transaction recorders to proactive partners that assist, advise, and act, while emphasizing trust through explainability, auditability, and human oversight.

AI adoption has reached a tipping point—but stand-alone models can only take you so far. True transformation requires Agentic AI, where intelligent agents orchestrate tasks across business processes, freeing up teams to focus on strategy and innovation. In this webinar on-demand, IBM and Oracle experts showcase how Agentic AI delivers scalable, accurate, and business-tailored outcomes across finance, supply chain, procurement and human resources. Drawing from insights and collaboration with clients at our Innovation Studio and client value accelerators, we explore: - Why point solutions and isolated models fall short of enterprise needs - How Agentic automation can significantly reduce manual work and accelerate time-to-value - What are the core factors that make or break an Agentic success story - Real-world examples of Agentic AI in action across Oracle Cloud solutions Watch now to see how IBM and Oracle’s collaborative approach helps organizations embed AI into their transformation journey—driving measurable ROI, efficiency, and competitive advantage.

Sage has acquired Criterion, a US-based human capital management platform, to enhance its AI-driven HR and payroll capabilities for mid-sized businesses facing complex workforce management challenges.