Sydney, 16 July 2026 | After years of having an acknowledged AI trust deficit, Australian businesses are embracing AI faster than ever, with investment, adoption and expectations on ROI all increasing according to new �鶹ԭ�� research. But that new-found confidence may also be creating new blind spots.

AI now supports over a quarter (29%) of tasks in the average Australian business, up from 25% last year¹, with leaders expecting that to reach 48% within two years, up from 41% in 2025. While Australia still trails high-adoption markets including the US, Germany, China, Japan and India, its higher-than-average pace of growth could potentially help close the gap.

�ճ�����鶹ԭ�� Value of AI Report 2026, conducted by Oxford Economics across more than 2,600 business leaders in 13 countries, identifies a clear gap between Australia’s AI ambition and its readiness to deliver on it, particularly around data foundations, governance frameworks and leadership oversight.

“Think of this as Australia’s AI school report: improving, but still not working to its potential,” said Angela Colantuono, President and Managing Director, �鶹ԭ�� Australia and New Zealand. “With an estimated AU$150 billion of AI-related infrastructure investment promised over the next several years, Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn AI confidence into national competitive advantage. But infrastructure alone won’t get us there. And with multiple new AI obligations coming into play for Australia between now and the end of the year, driven by local and international regulation, organisations need to strengthen their data foundations, governance frameworks and leadership structures. Otherwise, we risk building the rails for an AI economy without being ready to run on them.”

Investment and ROI is accelerating

As an average, Australian organisations expect to spend approximately AU$35.5 million² on AI this year, up from AU$27.5 million last year, with a further 44% increase expected over the next two years. That said, Australian spend still trails the global average of AU$40.4 million by around AU$5 million, a gap that reflects both the opportunity and the urgency to move faster.

Returns are growing alongside that investment. Australian companies expect to drive ROI of 19% this year, up from 15% last year, and rising to 37% in two years – though still below the global average.

“The returns are starting to come but not fast enough, and not for everyone. AI value compounds over time. The organisations that act now, focus on the right end-to-end processes and get their data in order will look back in two years and be glad they did. The ones that wait will be asking why the gap got so hard to close,” continued Colantuono.

Agentic AI is central to those ROI expectations. ROI from agentic AI is expected to reach AU$21.2m in the next two years, more than quadrupling from last year’s estimates of AU$4.4m. Despite this, 62% of Australian businesses say they are satisfied with their current AI ROI, even though over half acknowledge AI is still not achieving its full potential.

Governance needs work

The governance picture is more concerning. Only one in five (22%) say they are mostly or fully ready in AI governance when it comes to skills and expertise, against 33% globally. Some 42% suggest they are deploying agents faster than they can standardise and govern them, rising to 68% when including those who are unsure. Over half (54%) of business leaders say employees are increasingly accepting AI outputs without sufficient scrutiny.

The operational risks are real: 43% do not have human-in-the-loop processes for agentic workflows, while nearly half (49%) report that AI agents have already taken incorrect actions during pilots or deployment, typically causing some rework and delays.

Leadership structures also trail global peers. Under half of Australian companies have a dedicated AI leader responsible for AI adoption (46%), leadership KPIs for AI (33%), or even training on AI capabilities and risks (41%).

Professor Toby Walsh, Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW’s School of Computer Science and Engineering, said “Lack of understanding risks driving decisions by fear rather than evidence, and so closing the governance gap must start with closing the trust gap. Artificial intelligence is only valuable if people know when to trust it, and when to question it. Good governance shouldn’t be viewed as slowing innovation. It’s what allows organisations, employees and the broader community to adopt AI with confidence.”

Data recognised as essential, but readiness lags

While Australian leaders rank integrated data systems (64%) and data quality (51%) as the biggest enablers of AI readiness, data quality remains the biggest challenge for AI in Australia, with the share of businesses that say they are data-ready for AI falling from last year; nearly three-quarters (73%) report challenges with poor data quality.

Sovereign AI requirements are also shaping how organisations scale – 99% of Australian organisations say they now operate under some form of sovereign AI framework or requirement, and 76% cite data residency constraints that limit model choice.

Workforce readiness will determine whether momentum translates into value

More than four in five (82%) Australian businesses are not convinced their upskilling is keeping pace with AI’s rapid evolution, while 77% report shadow AI occurs at least occasionally. Only 1% of leaders believe AI will have no impact on workforce planning.

“These findings point to an urgent need for role-specific training, stronger safe-use guidance and change management that brings employees along as AI becomes embedded in daily work,” said Colantuono.

Confident adoption, early stage maturity

Australia’s maturity is progressing, particularly in generative AI, where 53% of organisations are scaling or leading – close to the global average of 54%, but still 17 percentage points behind the US, China and Germany. The gap is wider on agentic AI, where only 19% are scaling or leading versus a global average of 24%.

On more established technologies, Australia sits close to the global average in software automation and RPA but trails in traditional machine learning at 52% who are scaling or leading versus 59% globally.

In addition, the dominant adoption pattern remains project-by-project – targeted deployments within individual processes rather than coordinated, enterprise-wide transformation. Additionally, Australian organisations are less likely than global peers to connect AI strategy to industry-specific priorities.

“Australia has moved from AI hesitation to AI momentum,” Colantuono concluded. “Now we need to turn that momentum into maturity: stronger governance, better data and a workforce ready to use AI with confidence. Get that right, and Australia won’t just catch up, it can lead the world in responsible, high-impact AI,” concluded Colantuono.

More information on the research will be shared at the �鶹ԭ�� NOW AI Tour taking place at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on 12 August.�� For more information or to register, click .

For the full report click here: �鶹ԭ�� Value of AI 2026 Australia

¹ For the �鶹ԭ�� Value of AI 2025 research findings, click here.

² Respondents were asked to provide��financial��estimates in USD. AUD figures are based on an��exchange��rate��of AUD $1 = USD$0.69, using the exchange rate��as of 13 July 2026.

The post Australia’s AI report card: “Improving… but could do better” appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

By Marielle Ehrmann, Chief Security Compliance and Risk Officer, �鶹ԭ��

As AI adoption accelerates, leaders face urgent questions: where is AI being used, what data is it touching, who is accountable and what happens when something goes wrong?��

The post Five takeaways on AI governance, trust and innovation appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

The discussion unpacked what it takes to scale AI responsibly, embed it into everyday government operations, and build the trust required for long-term impact:

Artificial Intelligence has dominated headlines this year, but for governments and public institutions, the question is no longer what AI can do, but how we make it work in practice and at scale.��

At �鶹ԭ��, we recently released our Value of AI Report with Oxford Economics, providing a checkpoint on where organisations stand today. Across Australian government and business, AI now supports about one in four tasks, a figure expected to exceed 40 percent within two years. Encouragingly, three-quarters of organisations anticipate a positive return on AI investment within one to three years.��

These findings highlight significant momentum, but also a challenge. Too many AI projects remain trapped in proof-of-concept stage. The real opportunity lies in moving from prototype to production, where innovation can scale, deliver measurable value and build public confidence.��

Three priorities for progress��

Three priorities will enable Australian government agencies to move AI from experimentation to enterprise-wide impact:��

1. Adopt embedded AI capabilities. By using applications that already contain AI, public sector organisations can deploy AI easily and scale rapidly.��

1. Build capability and confidence. Success depends on equipping the public service and its technology partners with the skills to implement, monitor and govern AI responsibly.��

1. Earn and maintain public trust. AI ethics policies are now widespread, but policy alone is not enough. Trust is earned when we demonstrate that those guidelines and guardrails are being put into practice.��

Adopt embedded AI capabilities��

Globally, we’re already seeing transformative outcomes being delivered with custom AI.��

In Germany, Hamburg’s Ministry of Finance uses machine learning to support processing of social benefit applications, saving 33,000 hours of manual review.��

In France, the city of Antibes uses AI to align budgets with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, making over 138,000 decisions with AI assistance, work that would be impossible for humans alone.��

But for enterprise AI deployments to become more widespread, organisations need to shift to adopting AI capabilities that are embedded in business applications. For governments, this means switching on the AI that already exists in enterprise applications for HR, finance, procurement and citizen services, rather than building custom AI solutions using technical platforms.��

Build capability and confidence��

As we move toward agentic AI – systems that operate autonomously – the need for transparency becomes even more important.��

We must ensure that AI augments, rather than replaces, human judgment. This means giving users visibility into the reasoning behind AI decisions. At �鶹ԭ��, our applications include AI Analysis that shows which data sources were accessed, what steps the AI took, and how recommendations were generated, giving humans the insight they need to make informed decisions.��

Building this kind of transparency into every AI scenario is critical for governments that must demonstrate accountability to citizens.��

Earn and maintain public trust��

At �鶹ԭ��, we assess every new AI scenario against our global AI Ethics Policy, which is aligned to UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.��

Several years ago, for example, we developed an “emotional AI” prototype capable of detecting human emotion through facial expression and tone of voice with 70 percent accuracy. Despite its potential, we chose not to productise it, determiningthat the risk of harmful or biased outcomes was too high.��

This experience demonstrates how the right kind of regulation can accelerate innovation. Clear guidelines and guardrails focus experimentation on use cases that genuinely improve people’s lives.��

Australian Research Alliance for Enterprise AI��

�鶹ԭ�� is an industry partner in a new Australian Research Alliance for Enterprise AI with the University of Queensland, QUT, UNSW, the University of Sydney, and the University of Melbourne. We’re exploring how AI agents can make enterprise systems more intuitive, responsive and productive across government and industry.��

AI’s potential for the public sector is immense, but to realise it, we must move beyond experimentation. By adopting embedded AI, investing in skills, and building public trust, we can shift from isolated prototypes to scalable impact and unlock a new era of productivity and confidence in digital government.��

For more information or to engage with the Australian Research Alliance for Enterprise AI: .

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December 2, 2025 – �鶹ԭ�� Australia Pty Ltd. today announced Ryan Mitchelmore as the Head of its new �鶹ԭ�� Centre of Excellence for the Public Sector.����

In this role, Ryan will lead a new Canberra-based specialist team focused on supporting the full potential of digital transformation for Federal Government agencies in Australia and New Zealand. Bringing nearly three decades of leadership across major transformation programs in government, finance and banking, Ryan has consistently delivered complex projects on time and within budget. His extensive experience spans organisations such as Defence, Services Australia, the Digital Transformation Agency, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Macquarie Bank, demonstrating a proven ability to drive successful change and innovation at scale.��

The Centre of Excellence will grow to employ 20 Australian citizens over the next 24 months, providing industry-specific expertise. Its focus is helping to accelerate federal agencies’ transformation from legacy ERP systems to modern cloud platforms, helping those organisations adopt AI, data analytics and automation to lift productivity, increase efficiency and boost citizen services. The Centre joins a global network of similar resources that accelerate innovation for �鶹ԭ�� customers in industry sectors.�� It is on track to be fully staffed by the middle of 2026, with recruitment of the remaining roles underway.��

Brian Senior, Executive General Manager – Federal Government, �鶹ԭ�� Australia and New Zealand, said, “Federal agencies manage some of Australia’s most critical systems, from healthcare delivery to defence logistics, and many already rely on �鶹ԭ�� as their enterprise backbone. This Centre of Excellence is a direct response to feedback shared by these agencies with �鶹ԭ�� earlier in the year. It seeks to connects the dots across these systems, helping agencies chart the clearest path to a secure digital future, while leveraging AI, data analytics and sovereign cloud capabilities.”��

Addressing unique challenges of federal government��

The Centre of Excellence builds on �鶹ԭ��’s global network of specialised teams. It aims to address the unique challenges facing federal agencies as they modernise mission-critical system and harness AI, while meeting stringent security and sovereignty requirements.��

Ryan Mitchelmore, Head of Public Sector Centre of Excellence, �鶹ԭ�� Australia and New Zealand, said, “Agencies need a clear, practical path from legacy environments to AI‑ready operations. Our team provides best-practice advice on the recommended journey and appropriate guardrails – from business case and proofs of concept to clean‑core architecture and migration plans to enable better informed decisions.”��

The Centre of Excellence will operate as a permanent organisation of 12 core employees with additional specialists rotating based on demand. All team members hold Australian citizenship and appropriate security clearances, ensuring sensitive government data remains within trusted hands while accessing world-class enterprise capabilities.��

The post �鶹ԭ�� Names Leader of New Public Sector Centre of Excellence in Canberra appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

This was the strategic context that drove discussions during the recent executive roundtable dinner hosted by �鶹ԭ�� in partnership with Connect Media. The roundtable convened industry leaders to explore the latest strategies, trends and digital innovations for driving growth and success for the next era of retail. Conversations were led by Ross Bark, Director – Digital, Enterprise Wide, with exclusive insights from Achim Schneider, Global Head of Retail Industry Business Unit, �鶹ԭ�� and Elise Sharpley, Partner, Deloitte.

AI & The Future of Customer Experience

The discussion around AI has moved decisively beyond hype towards identifying pragmatic, high-value applications. According to research by Boston Consulting Group, 74% of companies have yet to show tangible value from their AI initiatives (1). This gap exists largely because investments often lack strategic focus. Businesses see the greatest return on investment when embedding AI into core customer engagement and operational functions. Data integrity, however, is an essential prerequisite. Before AI can be integrated effectively, leaders must address fragmented customer data silos across online, in-store, and partner channels. Addressing these gaps requires building a unified customer data platform, which serves as the foundational layer for all subsequent AI initiatives. With a unified platform in place, AI emerges as a powerful driver of commerce. The most promising applications include intelligent shopping assistants that provide relevant, real-time product advice and dynamic content creation that scales personalised marketing across numerous channels.

Maximising AI’s impact also requires embracing a culture of human-centric design. The goal is to augment human capability, not to replace it. By equipping frontline staff with rich, AI-driven customer insights, retailers enable staff to deliver superior, data-driven service. This approach positions AI as a key collaborative partner, enhancing efficiency while preserving the essential human touch that builds deeper customer loyalty.

Resilience & Risk: Diversifying the Retail Supply Chain

In an era of geopolitical volatility and disruptive regulatory changes, supply chain resilience has shifted from a tactical concern to a strategic imperative. This is a top concern for retail leaders today, as recent data from McKinsey has shown that 93% of businesses plan to increase their investment in supply chain resilience for the future (2).

The focus must be on diversifying sourcing strategies and moving from a purely cost- centric supplier evaluation to one that prioritises reliability, ethical alignment, and strategic partnership.

This involves a fundamental re-evaluation of supplier relationships. Leading retailers are increasingly willing to invest more for long-term resilience, which can include nearshoring or onshoring critical production, dual-sourcing key materials, and deepening collaboration with a core group of strategic partners. Technology plays a pivotal role in navigating this complexity. A modern, cloud-based supply chain management system provides the end-to-end visibility required to model the impact of potential disruptions, such as new tariffs, and pivot sourcing strategies rapidly. This capability to proactively manage risk, rather than simply react to it, is what separates resilient retailers from vulnerable ones. The supply chain is no longer a back-office function but a dynamic, competitive advantage.

Balancing Innovation & Integrity: Building Consumer Trust

Today’s consumers demand more than just products; they seek alignment with their core values. As younger generations who place a higher priority on corporate values gain economic influence, the expectations of businesses to be leaders of positive societal change will continue to intensify (3). Ethical transparency is no longer a niche concern, but a fundamental component for establishing brand trust and commercial integrity. Innovation pursued without consideration for ethical implications or environmental footprint is now a significant liability.

The challenge lies in moving from ESG as a marketing statement to embedding it into core business processes. This requires deep collaboration with suppliers to ensure alignment on standards for traceability, ethical labor practices, and carbon emissions. Technology is a key enabler, with platforms emerging that can track a product’s journey from raw material to end consumer, providing verifiable proof of claims. For retailers, this means making conscious choices about where not to apply technology if it compromises customer privacy or data security. Building a reputation for integrity is a long-term investment that often involves forgoing short-term gains for sustainable growth. A trusted brand, one that can demonstrate authentic commitment to its stated values, will command greater loyalty and resilience in a competitive market.

Conclusion: A Strategic Blueprint for Action

The journey to boundaryless retail demands strategic discipline across three interconnected imperatives:

1. Organisations must establish a trusted customer data foundation by dismantling internal silos- this is the essential prerequisite for consumer personalisation and seamless service delivery.
2. Leaders must also architect an agile operating model through core modernisation, creating the flexibility to adapt supply chains and embrace innovation.
3. Success is contingent on a pragmatic technology roadmap where targeted AI investments deliver measurable value, governed by frameworks that strengthen consumer trust and advance ESG commitments.

By mastering this balance, leaders can move beyond transactions to unlock more resilient, trusted, intelligent retail enterprises of tomorrow.

Endnotes

1. Boston Consulting Group, “” October 24, 2024.
2. TradeVerifyd, “Supply Chain Statistics” September 6, 2025.
3. Deloitte, “Buying into Better: The Future of the Consumer Industry” 2024.

The post Grow Without Boundaries: The Future of Retail appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

BERLIN��— At �鶹ԭ�� TechEd in 2025,����(NYSE: �鶹ԭ��) brings AI deep into the development process to level up how developers build.

New AI-driven capabilities in the �鶹ԭ�� Build solution, an expanding data ecosystem and powerful Joule Agents empower developers to move from idea to impact with unprecedented speed and confidence. As AI transforms the nature of professional work, �鶹ԭ�� also pledges to equip 12 million people worldwide with AI-ready skills by 2030.

“�鶹ԭ��’s announcements today give developers the tools they need to deliver at the speed of AI,” said Muhammad Alam, member of the Executive Board of �鶹ԭ�� SE. “Innovations across �鶹ԭ��’s unique flywheel of applications, data and AI put developers in the driver’s seat — where they belong.”

Opening the Developer Ecosystem

�鶹ԭ�� Build, the company’s flagship solution for enterprise application development and automation, now gives developers more freedom to build, extend and automate using the tools they love most.

For instance, developers who prefer agentic development solutions like Cursor, Claude Code, Cline and Windsurf can now use �鶹ԭ�� development frameworks with new �鶹ԭ�� Build local Model Context Protocol Servers. Visual Studio Code users will be able to access �鶹ԭ�� Build capabilities directly in their development environment with a new �鶹ԭ�� Build extension. This extension will also be made available later on Open VSX Registry for other development environments. �鶹ԭ�� and n8n also announced plans for an integration so Joule Studio agents and n8n agents can work together.

And with new agent building capabilities in Joule Studio, developers have the tools they need to extend �鶹ԭ��’s ready-to-use agents and build new agents grounded in �鶹ԭ�� business data and context that can act autonomously based on changing business conditions.

Putting Data to Work

Every intelligent application starts with trusted data. �鶹ԭ�� is giving developers more ways to put that data to work through �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud.

The solution now connects with more of the data and AI platforms developers use every day. A new �鶹ԭ�� Snowflake solution extension for �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud brings Snowflake’s fully managed data and AI capabilities directly to �鶹ԭ�� customers, giving them the flexibility to choose the right compute and storage for each data and AI workload, while maintaining governance, interoperability and business context. �鶹ԭ�� also announced a new �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud Connect partnership with Snowflake. This complements existing integrations with Databricks and Google Cloud, giving developers more freedom to choose how they work with �鶹ԭ�� data.

With a new data product studio capability in �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud, developers can turn raw data into ready-to-use assets known as data products that support analytics, AI and application development.

An expanded capability in the �鶹ԭ�� HANA Cloud knowledge graph engine can automatically generate knowledge graphs. This capability maps relationships across �鶹ԭ�� database tables, columns and data models, revealing how data fits together and why it matters. Developers will be able to see how their data connects across systems and uncover underlying business insights.

Bringing AI Autonomy to Life

�鶹ԭ�� is evolving its AI portfolio to give developers the intelligence and orchestration power they need to take��AI from insight to action.

�鶹ԭ�� introduced its first enterprise relational foundation model, a new class of AI that predicts business outcomes rather than the next word in a sentence. �鶹ԭ��-RPT-1, or the first-generation Relational Pre-trained Transformer, can make fast and accurate predictions for common business scenarios like delivery delays, payment risk or sales order completion. �鶹ԭ�� launched a free playground environment for developers today.

New AI assistants in Joule coordinate multiple agents across workflows, departments and applications, bringing automation and autonomy to life. These assistants plan, initiate and complete complex tasks spanning finance, supply chain, HR and beyond. Today, �鶹ԭ�� introduces new agents built for technical users. For example, an agent for business process analysis will help teams understand how processes run, identify inefficiencies and uncover opportunities to optimize workflows and drive measurable improvements.

Lastly, as AI changes the nature of work for everyone, �鶹ԭ�� is pledging to equip 12 million people worldwide with AI-ready skills by 2030. �鶹ԭ�� will expand hands-on training and certification programs that integrate practical AI-ready tools, including through its partnership with online learning platform Coursera.

�鶹ԭ�� TechEd 2025 Media & Analyst Program: Find event information, news and media assets all in one place

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AUSTRALIA, Sydney — 10 October 2025 — Australian organisations are already achieving a 15% return on their business AI investments, yielding an average return on investment this year of US$3.2 million on an average US$19.1million spend, according to a new study by �鶹ԭ�� SE (NYSE: �鶹ԭ��). The global research, ‘The �鶹ԭ�� Value of AI Report,’ undertaken by Oxford Economics, also found ROI is expected to nearly double to 29% within two years, translating to an average return of US$8.2 million per organisation.��

Angela Colantuono, President and Managing Director, �鶹ԭ�� Australia and New Zealand said, “AI isn’t what’s next, it’s here now and it’s already delivering results. But doing AI well takes more than hype. Businesses investing strategically in people, data and AI are already unlocking measurable ROI. With nearly three quarters of organisations expecting returns within three years, the message is clear: this is only the beginning. AI will get smarter, faster and more transformative from here.”��

AI-First Business Expectations��

The report shows that AI is already supporting a quarter of business tasks, a proportion expected to reach 41% within two years. Nearly two thirds (62%) are finding AI effective in helping their business overcome key organisational challenges. Benefits include seeing significant improvement in driving insights and decision-making, engaging with customers and prospects and improving time to value.����

The majority of Australian respondents expect AI to become central to business processes, decision-making and customer offerings by 2028, a year ahead of their global peers. Only 3% of businesses say AI will never become a core part of how they operate.��

“We’re witnessing the biggest business transformation since the internet,” added Colantuono. “The question isn’t whether AI will transform your business, it’s whether you’ll lead that transformation or be transformed by your competitors.”��

The US$19 Million Question: Are Australian Businesses Thinking Too Small?��

Despite these positive signs, the study also reveals Australian business AI spend being significantly outpaced by global peers. Compared to the average US$19.1 million Australian spend, Chinese organisations lead the way with an average US$42 million spend, with US$37 million as the average US spend.����

“This isn’t just about technology, it’s about competitive survival. Those that don’t crack the AI code now risk being left behind for good. In addition to boosting revenue, AI is about building smarter operations and empowering people to focus on the work that matters,” continued Colantuono.��

The Game-Changer: AI Agents����

The next frontier, agentic AI, could further revolutionise business operations entirely. A key finding of the report was that these intelligent, autonomous systems that can plan, act and collaborate on complex business processes, are expected to deliver 10% ROI, equating to an average of US$3 million, for Australian organisations in the next two years.��

Interestingly, at present, only 6% of Australian businesses are fully prepared for AI agents, but 75% recognise their transformative potential.

The Strategic Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight��

When it comes to AI adoption, alignment with business strategy is ranked the most important factor for optimising ROI. However, the research shows this is just one of a range of make-or-break areas where organisations are falling short:��

1. Business Strategy: Only 10% of Australian businesses are investing in AI in a strategic and holistic manner, with the majority taking a piecemeal approach (46%) or leaving it to individual departments (32%).��

1. Data Readiness: Despite 64% claiming sufficient data readiness for AI, critical departments like legal (84%), finance (74%), and HR (67%) flag they remain unprepared.��

1. Skills Investment: Over two thirds (68%) believe insufficient AI skills are a key reason organisations are not gaining maximum ROI for AI. That said, 73% note that they are integrating AI into their workforce planning by upskilling or reskilling current employees.����

When a coordinated AI strategy is left by the wayside, not only are opportunities impacting the bottom line similarly discarded, but security risks prevail. Three quarters of Australian organisations surveyed are concerned about “shadow AI”, where employees use unauthorised AI tools. According to 69%, Shadow AI is being used at least occasionally by employees.����

“When organisations take a strategic approach aligned with their long-term vision, building AI into the fabric of how they operate, it deters shadow AI use and elevates the most powerful competitive weapon at their disposal,” concluded Colantuono. “Organisations with strategic AI adoption are seeing faster implementation across business functions and significantly higher returns, while future-proofing themselves to keep pace with rapid changes across the tech and business landscapes.”��

About the Research

The �鶹ԭ�� Value of AI Report, conducted by Oxford Economics, surveyed 1,600 business leaders across eight countries, including 200 Australian executives from enterprise and mid-market companies.��

Customers using �鶹ԭ�� Business AI include Lion Group, SA Power Network and Energy Queensland.��

Visit the . Get �鶹ԭ�� news via  and .

About �鶹ԭ��

As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, �鶹ԭ�� (NYSE:�鶹ԭ��) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted �鶹ԭ�� to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit .��

# # #��

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of �鶹ԭ��’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F.��

© 2025 �鶹ԭ�� SE. All rights reserved.

�鶹ԭ�� and other �鶹ԭ�� products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of �鶹ԭ�� SE in Germany and other countries. Please see for additional trademark information and notices.����

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The post Aussie Business AI Investment Poised to Deliver 29% ROI by 2028, �鶹ԭ�� Study Finds appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

October 8 2025 – �鶹ԭ�� honoured Australia and New Zealand’s most forward-thinking organisations in the �鶹ԭ�� Best Tech Awards 2025, alongside the channel partners who enabled their digital transformation. From more than 100 organisations who competed, winners were selected across 13 categories for disruptive use cases and technology deployments that set new industry benchmarks.

Winning entries were chosen for projects that demonstrated measurable business impact, innovation and leadership in their fields. Judges looked for organisations that used �鶹ԭ�� solutions to streamline operations, boost productivity, deliver outstanding customer and employee experiences, harness the power of data and AI and drive sustainable growth.

Commenting on award submissions Angela Colantuono, President and Managing Director of �鶹ԭ�� ANZ said, “In today’s unforgiving business environment, standing still is not an option. These award winners show that smart technology investments don’t just cut costs, they unlock new revenue streams, sharpen competitive edge and turn IT into a true growth engine. It’s inspiring to see these organisations and the channel partners they work with re-imagine how value gets created and set the benchmark for their industries.” ��

2025 winners��

• Business Transformation: and ����
• Next Gen Innovator: and
• Industry Disruptor: ����
• Business AI: ����
• Data and Analytics: ����
• ERP Fast Growth: ����
• Intelligent ERP: ����
• Supply Chain Management: ��
• Human Capital Management: ��
• Customer Experience: ��
• Spend Management: ��
• Concur: ����
• The Chris O’Brien Award*: ����

The success of Award entrants was due in no small part to the channel partners involved, with projects by Accenture, Bluetree, Bonfire, Covantage Pty Ltd, Deloitte, Delrae, Discovery Consulting, DXC Technology, EPI-USE, FAIR Consulting Group, Gravity IT, Lagom, MSG Global and SimpleMDG featuring.�� ��

In particular, projects from Accenture, Covantage Pty Ltd, Deloitte, DXC Technology and EPI-USE saw notable success.��

Award recipients were announced in-person at the Art Gallery of NSW on the evening of 7 October 2025.��

The following is a complete list of winners and finalists for the �鶹ԭ�� Best Tech Awards 2025:��

Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Business Transformation:��

Celebrating organisations that have successfully implemented �鶹ԭ�� Signavio, LeanIX and/or WalkMe to optimise processes and improve operational efficiency. ��

Winners: and ��

Finalists:��

• ��
• ��
• ��

Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Next Gen Innovator:��

Organisations using �鶹ԭ�� solutions to drive digital transformation, innovation and agility. ��

Winners: and ��

Finalists:��

• ��
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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Industry Disruptor:��

The �鶹ԭ�� Industry Disruptor Award recognises organisations that are leading from the front – pushing boundaries, challenging norms and driving meaningful change through bold innovation. ��

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Business AI:��

Artificial intelligence is transforming business by introducing innovative methods and growth opportunities. This Award recognises organisations that have utilised �鶹ԭ�� Business AI to enhance operations and achieve significant outcomes.����

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Data and Analytics:��

Organisations using �鶹ԭ�� data and analytics solutions to gain insights, make data-driven decisions and drive business outcomes. ��

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� ERP Fast Growth:��

Organisations harnessing �鶹ԭ�� ERP to fuel agility, clarity and confident decision-making during periods of rapid growth.

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Intelligent ERP:��

Organisations using �鶹ԭ��’s intelligent ERP solutions to optimise business processes, improve productivity, reduce costs and provide real-time insights into business operations. ��

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Supply Chain Management:��

Organisations using supply chain management solutions from �鶹ԭ�� to achieve real-time insights into the supply chain, improve collaboration across partners and reduce costs.��

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Best Tech Human Capital Management:����

Organisations using �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors HCM solutions to drive employee engagement, productivity and retention. ��

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Customer Experience:��

Organisations using �鶹ԭ�� Customer Experience solutions to drive customer engagement, loyalty and retention. ��

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Spend Management:��

Organisations using the �鶹ԭ�� Spend Management program and �鶹ԭ�� Business Network solutions to provide greater visibility into spend data, reduce costs and increase organisational efficiency. ��

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Best Tech �鶹ԭ�� Concur:��

Organisations using �鶹ԭ�� Concur to streamline travel, expense and invoice management. ��

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The Chris O’Brien Award:��

Organisations using �鶹ԭ�� solutions to achieve sustainability goals, improve social impact and create shared value. This award is named after our customer officer, Chris O’Brien, who passed in 2019. Chris founded Buy Undies Give Undies, an organisation that matches every pair sold with one donated to kids in need.

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For more detail on the Best Tech Awards 2025 and all nominees, .

Visit the��. Get �鶹ԭ�� news via����and��.

As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, �鶹ԭ�� (NYSE:�鶹ԭ��) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted �鶹ԭ�� to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit .

Note to editors:

For more information, press only:
Rebecca English, +61 (0) 438 520 181, rebecca.english@sap.com, AEST
�鶹ԭ�� �鶹ԭ�� Room

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of �鶹ԭ��’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F.

© 2025 �鶹ԭ�� SE. All rights reserved.

�鶹ԭ�� and other �鶹ԭ�� products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of �鶹ԭ�� SE in Germany and other countries. Please see����for additional trademark information and notices.

Please consider our . If you received this press release in your e-mail and you wish to unsubscribe to our mailing list please contact��press@sap.com��and write Unsubscribe in the subject line. 

The post Telstra, Cochlear and Lion Among Those Spotlighted for Game-Changing Innovation by �鶹ԭ�� Best Tech Awards 2025 appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

��At its flagship event , (NYSE: �鶹ԭ��), today highlighted the five most widely adopted AI use cases among its Australian customers. Based on analysis of all �鶹ԭ�� customers in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) between May 2024 to May 2025, the most popular AI use cases in ANZ, these include:��

• Automated expense generation using receipt images��

• Automated invoice processing����

• Expense verification and compliance checks��

• Real-time alerts for supply chain disruptions��

• Sales demand forecasting powered by predictive analytics��

“My conversations with CEOs are increasingly revealing how they are looking to embed AI into some of the most fundamental parts of their business,” said Angela Colantuono, Managing Director, �鶹ԭ�� Australia. “These applications are helping Australian organisations make faster, smarter decisions, reduce risk and unlock new value. But to fully realise AI’s potential, we need to invest just as much in people as we do in technology.”��

Dr Catriona Wallace, AI Ethics Expert and Founder, Responsible Metaverse Alliance, who keynoted at the event shared, “AI is the number one existential risk we face today. Yet only a small fraction of Australian organisations are equipped to use it responsibly. If we want AI to drive innovation, productivity and public trust, we must move beyond ambition to action. That means embedding responsible AI frameworks that are transparent, ethical and human-centred, and doing it now, before the gap between use and governance becomes too wide to close.”

Customers and partners across Australia and New Zealand show AI momentum��

From education to manufacturing, �鶹ԭ�� partners and customers are also showcasing strong momentum in AI and cloud transformation.��

La Trobe University has become the first university in the ANZ region to go live with �鶹ԭ�� S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition leveraging the GROW with �鶹ԭ�� transformation journey.�� From the move, La Trobe has been able to modernise its core operations across Finance, Procurement, Logistics, Sales, R&D Engineering and Real Estate and lay the groundwork for future innovation, including AI-driven insights and automation.��

“This transformation is a major step forward in how we operate,” said Shainal Kavar, Chief Information Officer, La Trobe University. “It’s helping us simplify complexity, streamline processes, improve reporting and decision-making and free up our people to focus on higher-value work. Most importantly, it sets us up to embrace innovation and unlock the potential of AI in the years ahead.”��

Lion, one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading brewers, is accelerating its cloud-first transformation with RISE with �鶹ԭ�� on AWS. By adopting a clean core, the �鶹ԭ�� principle of keeping core ERP system free from customisations, as well as �鶹ԭ��’s Business Technology Platform, Lion has improved order-to-cash cycles, scaled digital channels, and empowered teams with real-time insights. The company also partnered with �鶹ԭ�� to build ‘Joey’, an AI-powered beer recommendation app, in under 10 days, demonstrating the speed and value of �鶹ԭ��’s generative AI tools.��

“AI is helping us move faster, make smarter decisions, and deliver better customer experiences,” said Ram Kalyanasundaram, Group Technology and Digital Transformation Director at Lion. “It’s not just about automation, it’s about enabling our teams to focus on what matters and giving them the tools to innovate. �鶹ԭ��’s AI capabilities have been a game-changer in how we think, operate and grow.”��

�鶹ԭ�� Intrepid Women AI Tour 2026��

�鶹ԭ�� is also proud to announce the return of the �鶹ԭ�� AI Intrepid Women Tour in January 2026. This four-day executive study program is designed to empower female leaders with the skills, confidence, and strategic insight to lead in the age of AI.��

Following the success of the 2025 tour, the 2026 program will bring together Australia’s most influential female technology executives to explore AI innovation across �鶹ԭ��’s global innovation hubs.��

“Less than 15% of senior AI executives are women today,” said Colantuono. “Last year’s program proved that when you bring female leaders together to build AI literacy and share experiences, the impact is extraordinary – not just for their businesses, but for the future of innovation in Australia.”��

Visit the . Follow �鶹ԭ�� at . �į ��

 Media Contact:��

Rebecca English (+61) 438 520 181, rebec@sap.com, AEST
�鶹ԭ�� �鶹ԭ�� Room; press@sap.com��

About �鶹ԭ�� 

As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, �鶹ԭ�� (NYSE:�鶹ԭ��) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted �鶹ԭ�� to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit . ��

# # # ��

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of �鶹ԭ��’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F. 

© 2025 �鶹ԭ�� SE. All rights reserved. 

�鶹ԭ�� and other �鶹ԭ�� products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of �鶹ԭ�� SE in Germany and other countries. Please see for additional trademark information and notices.  ��

The post AI Moves from the Margins to the Core of Australian Business, Says �鶹ԭ���� appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.

Improving the ease and speed of accessing benefits is key to government efforts to extend social and economic safety nets to what the International Social Security Association (ISSA) refers to as the “”. Self-employed and gig workers, as well as rural, migrant, and domestic workers are typically time-poor, not already engaged in social protection systems, and are often not included in targeted outreach programs. This makes them vulnerable to economic shocks and cost-of-living increases that can tip them into poverty and homelessness.

As such, many government agencies and not-for-profit organisations are looking at ways to make social services more accessible and responsive by reducing the “hassle costs” associated with claiming benefits.

How AI can help

Governments around the world have been realising significant efficiency gains through applying artificial intelligence (AI) in the back-office to improve workforce productivity. Encouragingly, there are also recent examples of AI being leveraged in the front-office to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of citizen engagement.

1. Quicker time to payment with AI-supported assessment processes

At , a combination of Machine Learning (ML) and Generative AI (GenAI) support staff to efficiently process applications for more than €3.5 billion in financial aid.

�鶹ԭ�� Machine Learning is used to link citizen application data to supporting documentary evidence, enabling case workers to expedite processing for the bulk of applications and to focus their attention on those most likely to be non-compliant. Across two programs, Hamburg reports that nearly 180,000 benefit applications have been processed, with more than 10 million pages of supporting documents automatically evaluated and classified by AI.

�鶹ԭ�� Generative AI Hub has also been introduced to summarise inbound applications and to generate draft outbound correspondence, further reducing time to payment for customers while minimising the burden of repetitive manual work for staff.

2. Improved customer service with AI-powered workflow automation

Similarly, uses �鶹ԭ�� AI to automate workflows and to recommend potential benefits based on customer circumstance data. AI has contributed to a 20% increase in user productivity, which amounts to a substantial efficiency gain when applied to an agency of 9,000 public employees managing €1.8 billion in monthly payments. These efficiencies flow through to citizens, as described by the Deputy Director General of Benefits and Subsidies, who reports their AI-enabled system “…has empowered me to shift focus from administrative tasks to truly enhancing citizen service, allowing for quicker responses and more meaningful interactions.”

3. Faster query resolution with AI-enabled chatbots

At , an �鶹ԭ�� AI chatbot responds to 50% of citizen inquiries with no human intervention, resulting in 77% being answered and closed within the same day. While social services inquiries would typically be more complex, there’s certainly potential for AI to categorise and prioritise inbound communications and to route them to the appropriate channel or group. This is the case for more than 83% of the inquiries being received by the Office every day, which embassy staff say “…means efficient communication, satisfied customers and a gain in personnel resources for other tasks.”

Reducing the barriers to adoption with embedded AI

To date, the types of use cases described above have been delivered as custom AI solutions, limiting uptake to agencies that are sufficiently resourced to assemble AI systems from Large Language Models (LLMs) and other necessary components. This is further exacerbated by the additional work needed to protect customer data, prevent bias, and ensure the reliability of AI recommendations.

Thankfully these barriers to adoption are being reduced as AI capabilities become embedded into enterprise software, enabling agencies to adopt out-of-the-box solutions. For example, something as simple as supporting staff to retrieve information using AI-enabled natural language search could reduce the time customers spend waiting on hold while their case worker struggles to locate their file.

Revolutionising social services with agentic AI

The advent of agentic AI could be a tipping point for social services AI use. By virtue of their ability to take multiple paths and iterative steps towards achieving an outcome, AI agents are particularly suited to the type of complex case processing inherent in social services. We can imagine a future where benefit applications are picked up and processed by a team of specialised AI agents that can autonomously validate compliance, determine eligibility and entitlement, identify potentially fraudulent claims, and present reasoned recommendations to human case workers for approval.

Such a future could be just around the corner. predicts that, “by 2028, 33% of enterprise software applications will include agentic AI, enabling 15% of day-to-day work decisions to be made autonomously.” Similarly, it notes, “by 2029, agentic AI will autonomously resolve 80% of common customer service issues without human intervention, leading to a 30% reduction in operational costs”.

In summary, AI is already enabling early adopters like Hamburg’s Ministry of Finance to improve the efficiency of application processing for social benefits. AI adoption in social services is now set to scale as AI capabilities are embedded into enterprise software, and this could lay the groundwork for a big leap forward with agentic AI. AI will be increasingly capable of reducing the “hassle costs” associated with claiming benefits, helping to ensure that social and economic supports reach the people that need it, when they need it.

The post Leveraging AI to make social services more responsive appeared first on �鶹ԭ�� Australia & New Zealand News Center.