Sponsored by SAP.
I had the pleasure of attending the virtual HCM track during the first-ever SAP Connect on October 9, where I took time to reflect on the remarkable speed at which AI is upending our world. This wasn’t my first – or my last – event hosted by SAP, and I must say, they always do it up special. I’ve been working with HR technology providers for more than 15 years, from startups to global market leaders, and SAP certainly has their fingers on the pulse of global organizational change. I reveled in the invitation to watch them artfully connect the dots.
SAP continues to be a forward-thinking voice in our industry, skillfully addressing what leaders need to know to confidently guide their teams through change. The Human Capital Management (HCM) track especially underscored how AI, skills-first strategies, and predictive insights are redefining HR’s role. Yes, we’re in an age of disruption (which can be equally exciting and unnerving), but innovation is empowering us to adapt, respond, and place HR tech squarely at center stage.
I’m consistently impressed by Dan Beck, Chief Product Officer at SAP SuccessFactors, who emphasized a powerful shift: HR is in a transformational state, and the opportunities are endless. In his keynote, “Unprecedented Possibilities: Connecting Your People and Your Business,” Beck introduced new role-based AI agents accessible via the SAP copilot, Joule, that orchestrates workflows across HR and other business functions. Designed to simplify complex processes and ideas, personalize employee experiences, and accelerate decision-making, these agents embody the next era of intelligent HR. I know I have dreamt of an assistant with the insights, quick thinking, and data-gathering capabilities of these agents, and technology is now delivering exponentially.
Unprecedented Efficiency in Action
Organizations like SAP are redefining efficiency at scale by embracing AI’s capabilities. According to new SAP research, employees using AI are saving an average of 75 minutes a day, time that can be reinvested in a variety of ways. Think about how that time could potentially impact everything from productivity to mental health.
Joule now supports 80% of the most-used SAP tasks, with more role-based agents on the horizon. We’re witnessing the rise of true “agentic systems” that think and act alongside us, which is exciting and scary at the same time. From automating workflows to surfacing real-time insights, these capabilities aren’t just optimizing HR processes – they’re folding complexity into simplicity, freeing leaders to refocus on what once felt out of reach: strategy, creativity, and people.
SAP’s leaders see the long game, making HR insights more valuable than ever. The result: stronger teams, smarter decisions, and tangible ROI as AI compresses time, amplifies capability, accelerates what’s possible, and elevates human decision-making.
Skills-First Talent Strategies
A major theme throughout the SAP Connect sessions was embracing a skills-first talent strategy. I couldn’t agree more with SAP’s view that robust skills classifications and predictive workforce planning are now essential for success. Frankly, we’ve never had access to the rapid analytics that AI can deliver. Not long ago, HR leaders had to sift through mountains of data for days and weeks to spot trends and forecast needs, giving them quite the data headache. Today, AI anticipates skill gaps, fuels internal mobility, and drives continuous learning, saving time, energy, and unlocking entirely new possibilities.
This shift was abundantly clear in Geoff Fetner’s session, “Boosting Learning and Talent With AI Agents and a Focus on Skills.” It was thrilling and joyful to watch the Joule Agents dive into each employee’s skills, proficiencies, and gaps with impressive storytelling and data. Manager-employee conversations just took a giant leap forward as long as leaders learn and embrace these capabilities.
I always appreciate insightful, real-world case studies, and SAP delivered with narratives of trailblazers reinvesting their budgets and focus, and seeing a growing return. SAP showcased success stories from Microsoft, Delta Air Lines, and McDonald’s, highlighting how these global enterprises are using SAP tools to enhance employee experience and strengthen operational resilience.
HR’s Role in the Future of Work
I was especially intrigued by the thought-provoking session “Future of Work Predictions: Trends and Insights Shaping 2026 and Beyond,” co-led by Dr. Autumn D. Krauss, Chief Scientist of SAP SuccessFactors’ Future of Work Research Lab, and Josh Gosliner, VP of Product Strategy at SAP SuccessFactors. During their session, what stood out most were how research-backed insights are being used to inform SAP SuccessFactors’ product vision and strategy.
Autumn focused on the Future of Work Research Lab’s latest report, “The Road Ahead: Predictions and Possibilities for the Future of Work.” The report outlines the current state of 10 Future of Work topics and offers insights into how it may evolve over the next five years.
Two predictions I found particularly interesting are centered on how business outcomes will be prioritized from AI use, as well as what design principles will be a focus as work is redesigned with AI in mind. Right now, AI adoption remains concentrated in narrow use cases that deliver time savings and faster execution of existing tasks. However, the real opportunity comes when moving beyond efficiency to create solutions that were previously too costly, slow, or complex to deliver at all. The future isn’t simply about automating tasks; it’s about “strategic symbiosis,” where humans and AI combine strengths to unlock meaningful, motivating, and impactful work.
Josh Gosliner did an excellent job of explaining how HR roles are evolving across acceleration, automation, and transformation, requiring HR leaders to upskill themselves to lead change across the workforce.
I’m impressed with how research insights like these are shaping product strategy and investment priorities, placing HR as the leader in organizations that are adapting to an AI-enabled future.
The findings are abundantly clear: HR must be intentional and strategic when choosing which AI outcomes to prioritize, how work is redesigned, and how employees should work with AI.
The Gift of Time
To peel this back a bit further, what truly excites and invigorates people isn’t just technology – it’s time. Time back. Less time lost to pulling reports, digging through files, or piecing together an employee’s story. More time for meaningful conversations. More time to map out career paths that inspire and energize teams. More time for “me”. When AI takes on the repetitive and the routine, it gives leaders and employees something far more valuable: freedom. Without overstating it, this is what we’ve been craving all along – space to do the work that matters.
HR Leaders: This Is Your Moment
Overall, what I loved most about this conference is that it truly felt like the future today buoyed by hopeful possibilities. We can collectively acknowledge that geopolitical and economic strife is palpable today. But it also feels like there’s real change happening faster than ever (at least for those of us who love to nerd out on tech). And there was a clear call to action for HR leaders: this is your moment.
While I’ve watched HR leaders drive transformation before, there’s a new level of orchestration happening today with AI. You can set the mood, the tempo, and the dynamics like never before.
Once again, SAP SuccessFactors succeeds in infusing enthusiasm into what might otherwise feel like shifting seas. SAP Connect made it clear: the future of HCM is intelligent, interconnected across business processes, and deeply human-centric. Powered by AI and anchored in skills, the conversation is continuing to change. I’m in, are you?
What Excites You?
I’d love to hear from the TalentCulture community about the conference and your thoughts on the evolving world of Human Capital Management and AI. Where are you strengthening skills training? Where are you saving time? How is your workforce shifting, transitioning, or transforming as we look to 2026? Do let me know!
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