E3 Category: MAG 26-10

The idea is very appealing: We’re optimizing ourselves and our ERP system with the help of AI. Do we still need SAP for that—and afterward, too? We’re becoming an Autonomous Enterprise.

As additional provisions of the EU AI Act gradually come into effect, the requirements for companies using AI are increasing. Commvault cites recent incidents involving autonomous AI systems and publicly accessible chat content as examples of potential security and data protection risks. Robust governance structures, clearly defined access rights for AI agents, continuous monitoring, and a resilient recovery strategy are therefore crucial.…

When robots are introduced into factory floors, the transition rarely fails because of technical issues, but often because of the workforce’s unease. Approaches that rely solely on software changes fall short here.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into businesses, a new job role is emerging: the AI automation engineer. Unlike AI researchers or prompt engineers, this professional does not develop models; instead, they analyze business processes, identify opportunities for automation, and integrate AI tools with existing systems. Areas of application include document processing, reporting, data maintenance, accounting, and internal workflows. According to McKinsey, by 2030, around 27 percent of today’s…

SAP EWM, TM, and SAP Logistics Management are setting new technological standards. Why this transformation is necessary now, and how to set the right course.

Output management has been a well-established ERP discipline since SAP R/3, and this functionality remains in high demand and is widely used even in ECC 6.0. Global ERP architectures—including on-premises and hybrid installations—continue to make output management highly attractive to existing SAP customers.

According to a recent study by Lünendonk and Hossenfelder, CIOs are facing increasing demands while operating with limited budgets. Fifty-five percent of the companies surveyed plan to increase their IT spending in 2026. At the top of the investment agenda are cybersecurity (92 percent) and IT modernization (74 percent), followed by professional development, digital sovereignty, and system integration. At the same time, AI is becoming an integral part of corporate IT. 83 percent…

An S/4 migration is complex and poses challenges for both medium-sized companies and large corporations. Krones, a global machinery manufacturer that produces equipment for the beverage industry, has expanded its standard SAP system in many areas since its implementation and has, for example, optimized work scheduling.

Agent-based AI is becoming an autonomous actor that retrieves data, prepares decisions, and initiates workflows. This increases the need for a governance layer that controls access, roles, approvals, and responsibilities. According to Mathias Herrmann, CEO of Alleherzen, governance is a prerequisite for secure and sustainable deployment in enterprise environments. The Colossos solution is designed to serve as a „Governed Access Layer“ between…

Two weeks after the premiere of *Carmen* (Georges Bizet, 1838–1875) with Teodor Currentzis and Asmik Grigorian, I was on stage at the Festspielhaus against the backdrop of *Carmen*. The technical director and the set designer explained the set design together—it somehow reminded me of Christian Klein.

BlackLine received multiple awards in 2026 for its Agentic Financial Operations Platform. At the FinTech Tech Ascension Awards, the company won in the „Best AI/ML-Based Solution“ category. BlackLine also received four Top-Rated Awards from TrustRadius for financial close, financial risk management, accounts receivable, and quote-to-cash. According to the company, the TrustRadius awards are based on verified customer reviews. BlackLine views the…

One in two German respondents to the McKinsey report „The State of AI in 2026: On the Road to ROI“ reports that their organization is already scaling up AI; at the same time, 43 percent of respondents from organizations using AI are unable to quantify AI’s contribution to operating profit.