Digital corporate management

SAP trends 2026: These topics will dominate

The SAP cosmos is changing rapidly - cloud, AI, and sustainability are reshaping business models. Those who want to be ahead in 2026 need foresight now.

Roman Freidel Roman Freidel Roman Freidel Syntax

Published December 8, 2025 - 7:14 a.m. Modified December 8, 2025 - 2:43 p.m.

The SAP ecosystem will continue to change in 2026. We explain what will become more important.

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SAP is no longer just an ERP system: it is a backbone, innovation engine, and transformation lever all in one. Even in 2026, companies in the industrial sector continue to face massive upheavals. Three buzzwords drive the discussion: cloudification, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. But what is behind them? And what strategic decisions need to be made now?

Trend 1: Intelligent enterprise management with the SAP Business Suite

More and more user companies will establish the SAP Business Suite as a combination of SAP cloud ERP applications, SAP Business AI, and the SAP Business Data Cloud as the center of dynamic, AI-supported enterprise management. A key advantage is the close integration of the SAP Business Suite with the SAP Business Technology Platform. It facilitates, among other things, the integration and automation of company-wide business processes as well as the development of context-related AI agents.

Trend 2: AI first

'AI first' is a strategic principle of SAP. This is also evident in the fact that the ERP specialist will equip all new and existing applications with AI functions. In addition, the Walldorf software giant provides users with RPT-1, its own pre-trained AI base model, which enables the development of SAP-specific AI solutions, such as agents. And to ensure these helpers can be well-trained with a variety of data, the SAP Business Data Cloud allows the integration of external sources.

Top 10 applications: AI in everyday machinery

While many industries are still struggling with the implementation of AI projects, mechanical engineering shows concrete progress. With targeted applications, they increase efficiency, improve processes, and reduce downtime. Here are the top 10 applications.

Trend 3: Data sovereignty and compliance

Especially with regard to European and industry-specific regulations, the importance of data sovereignty is continuously increasing - particularly in connection with business-critical ERP data. In light of the EU General Data Protection Regulation and stricter regulations such as NIS-2 or Dora, companies must maintain full control over their business data. With 'EU Access from SAP', the company already offers a service where personal data is stored and processed exclusively within the EU and Switzerland. To meet such requirements, even within complex, hybrid operating models, many companies will seek professional assistance from IT service providers with proven SAP expertise.

Trend 4: Transformation and migration pressure increases

From December 2027, maintenance for older solutions like SAP ECC will only be available at an additional cost, before support is completely discontinued by 2030 at the latest. This means that those who have not yet started the transition to SAP S/4Hana must act quickly. The time- and resource-intensive switch to SAP's ERP flagship is more than just the introduction of new software. It also means transforming long-established processes into future-oriented business processes in the digital age.