New research reveals 85% of UAE organizations rely on ERP platforms to support AI-driven business operations
SAP has highlighted the growing importance of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in enabling large-scale AI adoption across organizations during its annual SAP Connect UAE event held at Expo City Dubai.
The event brought together nearly 2,000 executives, technology leaders, and decision-makers from public and private sector organizations to discuss how AI is increasingly being integrated into core enterprise operations, including finance, supply chain, human resources, and customer-facing functions.
According to SAP-commissioned research conducted by YouGov among chief IT decision-makers in the UAE, 85% of organizations are already relying on ERP systems to support AI-enabled business processes. The study found that 53% of respondents identified ERP platforms as the primary foundation for AI-driven operations across their businesses, while another 32% said these systems support AI across multiple core functions.
“As organizations scale their use of AI, the focus is increasingly shifting toward embedding intelligence directly into core business systems. By bringing together applications, data, and AI within a unified environment, enterprises can improve decision-making, strengthen operational consistency, and respond more effectively to changing market conditions,” said Marwan Zeineddine, Managing Director of SAP UAE.
The research also highlighted strong confidence in enterprise technology foundations. Half of respondents said they were very confident that their ERP systems could support advanced AI and automation initiatives over the next two years, while 40% expressed moderate confidence.
Organizations identified operational efficiency and resilience, faster decision-making, and improved employee productivity as the key areas where AI-enabled enterprise systems are expected to deliver the greatest value.
During the event, SAP demonstrated how enterprises are moving toward what it describes as the “Autonomous Enterprise,” where AI agents and intelligent systems support increasingly autonomous business operations while maintaining human oversight.
Several regional organizations also shared examples of ongoing digital transformation initiatives powered by SAP technologies. RAK Ceramics discussed its enterprise-wide transformation using RISE with SAP to consolidate global operations and create a cloud-based digital foundation for future AI adoption.
EMSTEEL highlighted its migration to a cloud-based SAP environment aimed at improving operational visibility and scalability, while Grandiose outlined plans to unify its retail, manufacturing, and catering operations on a single SAP platform to support future AI integration.
Jumbo Group also shared details of its transition to SAP S/4HANA, enabling more connected and data-driven operations across the organization.
SAP said the findings reflect a broader shift toward integrated and intelligent enterprise operations, where AI capabilities are embedded directly into everyday business processes rather than functioning as standalone technologies.
