Largest-ever SAP UAE gathering will guide enterprises in how best to leverage data and AI, as SAP survey shows 69% of UAE businesses view AI as very important to future strategy
By : Bakinam Khaled
SAP is set to host its largest-ever UAE gathering, the SAP NOW AI Tour, at Expo City in Dubai on April 15, bringing together industry experts and business leaders to explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enterprise management and public sector innovation. As AI reshapes industries worldwide, the UAE has positioned itself as a leader in AI-driven economic transformation, and discussions will focus on how local enterprises can effectively navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.
A recent YouGov survey of chief IT decision-makers commissioned by SAP found that a significant number (69%) of UAE businesses consider AI very important to their future strategy, with a further 28% describing it as ‘somewhat important’. Moreover, companies are measuring AI success through multiple key business outcomes, with improved customer satisfaction cited as a top priority by 52% of respondents, followed closely by increased revenue (50%), cost reductions (49%), and enhanced decision-making (49%).
“AI is no longer just an emerging technology; it is a fundamental driver of business success," said Marwan Zeineddine, Managing Director, SAP UAE. “As AI capabilities advance, organizations must stay ahead of the curve to remain competitive. The SAP NOW AI Tour is designed to ensure businesses in the UAE fully understand how to leverage AI for tangible impact. The event forms part of our long-term commitment to supporting the country’s AI ambitions, building on initiatives such as our AI-focused training programs for students and young Emirati professionals, as well as establishing an SAP AI Experience Center for co-innovation of AI-powered industry solutions with customers and partners.”
The event will cover multiple sectors, with highlights including a session exploring how Digital Authorities in the UAE are driving innovation, and deep-dive sessions into supply chain, human resources and procurement strategies. In addition, customers will share AI success stories, while Dr. Philipp Herzig, Chief AI Officer of SAP, will discuss cutting-edge developments in business AI, agentic AI and the global industry evolution.
The event will feature SAP’s latest advances in business AI, including agentic AI, which enables autonomous decision-making and task execution, reducing inefficiencies and enhancing business agility. SAP will also showcase its collaboration with Databricks through the SAP Business Data Cloud, demonstrating how businesses can harness structured and unstructured data, an area of immense untapped potential. Despite the exponential growth of enterprise data, a vast majority of data – as much as 90% according to industry experts – remains unstructured and underutilized, making it difficult for businesses to extract meaningful insights. By integrating SAP’s business data with Databricks’ advanced AI models, organizations can break down data silos, improve predictive analytics, and drive more informed decision-making at scale.
