SAP Examines Consultants and Reveals Doubts About AI

SAP analyzes consultants and reveals resistance to artificial intelligence

An internal experiment by SAP showed that consultants remain skeptical about artificial intelligence (AI). During the test, five teams validated responses to over 1,000 business requirements generated by the company's AI copilot, known as Joule for Consultants. These analyses, which would normally take weeks, revealed significant insights into the acceptance of AI among experienced professionals.

Four teams believed that the responses were crafted by recently graduated interns and found them impressive, attributing a 95% accuracy rate. However, the fifth team found out that the AI-generated responses were almost completely rejected. After individual validations, they confirmed that AI provided accurate results.

Guillermo B. Vazquez Mendez, Chief Architect of SAP America Inc., stated: "We need to be cautious in introducing AI and communicating its possibilities to senior consultants." The experiment motivated a push for a new vision of the consultant for 2030, a professional who combines human experience with AI efficiency.

Overcoming distrust in AI

The resistance to AI is not surprising, according to Vazquez. Consultants with years of experience often possess vast institutional knowledge and thus adopt a cautious stance. However, tools like Joule for Consultants are not designed to replace these professionals but rather to enhance their effectiveness.

According to Vazquez, "Joule makes consultants' time much more effective." The solution eliminates routine tasks, allowing consultants to focus on generating high-quality responses quickly. He reiterates that AI is a support tool, and humans are always necessary for supervision.

Shifting focus from technical work to business insights

Traditionally, consultants dedicated about 80% of their time to understanding technical systems while clients focused on their businesses. This discrepancy is where Joule stands out. Vazquez emphasizes that AI creates a bridge that facilitates focus on business outcomes.

"AI takes on the heavy technical load, allowing consultants to concentrate on understanding the industry and the client's goals," adds Vazquez, reinforcing the importance of the tool in the new work dynamics.

Accelerating the training of new consultants

Joule also impacts the training of new hires. Vazquez highlights that the copilot acts as a link between cautious senior consultants and new collaborators who are already familiar with technology.

Junior consultants take less time to develop due to the support from Joule, while senior consultants engage in areas where their insights are more valuable.

The future evolution of AI copilots

Vazquez believes that we are only beginning to explore the potential of AI. Currently, AI effectiveness depends on the ability to formulate good commands, but this is just the initial phase.

As technology advances, it is expected that copilots will not only respond to commands but also interpret entire business processes, identifying where human intervention is required and where AI can take over. This evolution is what is referred to as AI agent.

SAP has deep knowledge of processes, having mapped over 3,500 business processes, which makes this transition feasible. With its solutions, the company supports approximately $7.3 trillion in global trade, equipping consultants with tools to tackle complex challenges.

Vazquez concludes: "With this level of understanding of processes and data, we can significantly advance toward increasingly autonomous systems."