Microsoft and SAP have confirmed plans to integrate their virtual assistants.
Having initially been teased during SAP Sapphire in June, the integration also featured as a key talking point at Microsoft Ignite 2024.
Indeed, during the event, the companies are running demo previews of the integrated offering.
The collaboration will allow customers to use either the 365 Copilot or Joule as their predominant virtual assistant across integrated Microsoft-SAP environments.
Meanwhile, it will also combine their capabilities.
As such, users may complete tasks and access insights and data across both SAP’s and Microsoft’s platforms, without switching between applications.
For example, Microsoft 365 users can use Copilot to access SAP tasks and data, while SAP users can leverage Joule to integrate Microsoft 365 information and workflows.
However, the companies were keen to emphasize that the innovation goes beyond merely providing access to both tools, claiming that the seamless integration would help to implement a unified experience that would “redefine workplace productivity.”
The companies aim to fulfill this productivity promise by enabling employees to work in their preferred environment and ensuring they have the tools needed to work as efficiently as possible.
Indeed, in a LinkedIn post from the Ignite event, Dr. Philipp Herzig, Chief AI Officer at SAP, wrote:
Don’t get me wrong, this is not about combining two tools, it’s about giving users a seamless experience in their work environments like never before.
While the integration is not yet live, a limited preview is reportedly set to be announced by the end of the year.
Nevertheless, the companies have provided plenty more details on potential use cases.
In terms of specific features, the combined solution may review tasks, engage in chats, send emails, track SAP S/4HANA sales orders, and submit promotion requests via SAP SuccessFactors.
The vendors also outlined a number of additional productivity-related capabilities.
The integration will allow HR, finance, and supply chain professionals to merge Microsoft 365 tools into SAP workflows, while Microsoft users will gain access to SAP’s data and automation.
In addition, tasks like onboarding in SAP SuccessFactors, tracking deliveries in SAP S/4HANA, or scheduling meetings in Outlook, can be completed seamlessly in their preferred platform.
In a blog on SAP’s website, the company wrote:
Together, Joule and Microsoft 365 Copilot set a new benchmark for cross-functional productivity, making it easier than ever to drive real-world business impact.
Elsewhere at Ignite 2024, Microsoft unveiled a public preview of its agentic AI.
This allows customers to test pre-configured agents and explore building their own using Copilot Studio.
These autonomous agents utilize generative AI to automate tasks independently, extending Copilot’s virtual assistant capabilities to perform tasks with oversight but no direct input.
SAP is also building out its agentic AI proposition, announcing its own AI Agents in October, which can collaborate across business functions.
