E3 Category: Economy

Innovative, but not yet a sure-fire success: artificial intelligence promises a new era of financial planning. But there is a sobering gap between technological hype and real added value.

Not every year is one of the biggest upheavals for SAP. From today's perspective, 2026 is likely to be one of them. It is more likely to be months of pragmatic transformation.

Companies are increasingly asking for their own AI infrastructure. In Germany, three quarters are planning to increase their investments in sovereignty and control over cloud, AI, data, and security.

A new study by PwC shows how companies can accelerate their transformation, increase efficiency, and create sustainable business value by integrating artificial intelligence into S/4.

New services create transparency, promote trust, and support companies in the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Although the German economy believes it is well equipped when it comes to digital sovereignty, the majority is still dependent on digital solutions from non-European providers. This is shown by the first „Digital Sovereignty Index“ compiled by SAP Gold Partner Adesso and the HRI.

The DACH region remains a dynamic field of innovation: start-ups continue to gain in strategic importance. This is shown by the Start-up and Innovation Monitor 2025 of the digital consulting, solutions and software company Valantic.

AI as a top investment: 68 percent of German CEOs name AI as their top investment goal in the latest KPMG CEO Outlook. 80 percent plan to invest at least ten percent of their budget in artificial intelligence in the short term.

IDC forecasts: European spending on public cloud services will rise to 229 billion USD in 2025 and to 452 billion USD by 2029. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, the cloud remains the engine of digitalization—driven by AI, regulation, and the healthcare boom.

The latest IT transformation study reveals major discrepancies between the goals defined in advance and the results achieved.

The tense economic and geopolitical situation is forcing 82 percent of the companies surveyed in the DACH region to cut costs, with 53 percent of IT departments affected by cost-cutting measures. The IT budget is being reduced in one in four companies.

Digital transformation remains the central task on the executive floors of German companies. Key topics such as cybercrime, automation, and AI are at the top of the corporate agenda in Germany, according to KPMG's study, Future Readiness Monitor 2025.