At SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference 2026, SAP unveiled a bold new vision with AI embedded across business processes, agents collaborating across functions, and enterprise knowledge accessible through SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC), and SAP Business AI. When innovations like these are introduced from the keynote stage, customers turn to ASUG to understand what they mean in practice. Just as SAP CEO Christian Klein described the ERP as the brain of every company, ASUG’s community serves as the collective brain helping organizations decipher that evolution—because progress still happens when people come together to share knowledge, ask better questions, and help one another navigate what’s next.

This article is a collective reflection from the ASUG Communities team, capturing the conversations, insights, and experiences that emerged from the conference. Together, these perspectives affirm one larger story: while technology is transforming the way we work, community remains the way we learn, connect, and move forward.

To continue the conversation from SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference, ASUG will be hosting a special virtual Community Conversation on June 11, focused on the key themes, questions, and concerns raised during the event. While Community Conversations are typically a member-exclusive benefit, this session is open to everyone who wants an opportunity to experience the value of these peer-driven discussions firsthand.

Next Steps:  

• Register for the virtual Community Conversation on June 11.  
• Sign up as an ASUG member with your company email.
• Set up your ASUG profile, joining communities and chapters that align with your work, location, and interests.
• Explore the full breadth of ASUG member benefits and consider becoming a member if your company is not yet involved.  

Elizabeth Tuckwell: Community Conversations and Collective Learning

ASUG Community Conversations took the stage for a second year at SAP Sapphire, offering the ASUG community another opportunity to network, problem-solve, and learn together in real time.

This year, across eight highly interactive sessions, more than 840 SAP professionals registered to engage in discussions spanning AI, enterprise architecture, SAP BDC, Cloud ERP and SAP S/4HANA, application development, supply chain challenges, and strategic growth—while also unpacking SAP’s latest announcements alongside experts and peers.

These sessions are intentionally designed to create two-way conversations. While attendees gain deeper insight into SAP technologies and strategies, SAP experts also gain valuable visibility into where organizations are struggling, what tools customers are actively using, and what topics require further education and support. Real-time polling allows participants to see where their peers are experiencing the greatest challenges, helping attendees recognize they are not alone in navigating transformation.

Breakout discussions and peer collaboration created opportunities for attendees to openly share lessons learned, practical approaches, and real-world experiences. One of the most memorable moments came when an audience member turned to their neighbor and said, “That’s where we were last year. I’ve got you—let’s connect after the session.” That interaction captured the heart of Community Conversations: creating spaces where members feel seen, supported, and empowered by one another.

The conversations that emerge from these sessions help shape ASUG programming throughout the year, ensuring that community-expressed needs directly guide the direction of learning. As ASUG continues to build spaces where members can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another, we invite you to experience Community Conversations firsthand at ASUG Tech Connect this fall. Join the conversation, share your perspective, and become part of a community built around helping one another grow, solve challenges, and move forward together.

Adelina Carr: The Customer View

The Autonomous Enterprise announcements at SAP Sapphire sparked meaningful discussion across ASUG community breakout sessions. As organizations began evaluating what this shift could mean for their business and technology landscapes, attendees openly shared their questions, concerns, and early reactions.

Data readiness emerged as a major concern. Participants highlighted challenges with integrating data across multiple platforms, inconsistent schemas, disconnected processes, and siloed business units. Many agreed that a strong data foundation will be critical to realizing the full value of AI.

Compliance was another recurring topic. In one session, an auditor echoed many of the concerns raised and offered practical guidance:

• Don’t bypass established security controls because something is labeled “AI.”
• Don’t upload sensitive data to unauthorized third-party platforms.
• Continue applying existing governance, risk, and compliance controls.

Moments like this are exactly why ASUG Community Conversations exist. Whether the topic is AI adoption, migration planning, or technology transformation, members benefit by learning directly from peers and practitioners who bring real-world experience to the discussion. The opportunity to share challenges, compare approaches, and exchange practical advice helps organizations move forward with greater confidence.  

When discussing adoption strategies, attendees largely agreed on one approach: start small, learn, then scale. Organizations see value in beginning with targeted use cases, building experience, and expanding from there.

Brenda Guido: Industries and POV from a First-Timer

Attending SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference for the first time was an incredibly valuable experience, especially through the lens of the industry communities that I support at ASUG. Being onsite provided the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the SAP ecosystem while hearing about the latest innovations and see firsthand how these conversations are resonating differently across industries like utilities, consumer products, chemicals, life sciences, and public services.

Through sessions, networking, and conversations with attendees, there was a constant exchange of ideas, challenges, and lessons learned, which all reinforced the importance of peer collaboration and industry-focused dialogue as organizations navigate transformation at different stages of maturity.

I felt excited to experience the scale, innovation, and collaboration firsthand. The event highlighted not only where SAP technology is headed, but also the important role ASUG communities play in helping customers connect, learn from one another, and translate innovation into practical business conversations.

Nadalee Williams: Strategic Topics and Emerging Trends

What stood out most at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference wasn’t just what was being talked about—it was who was doing the talking. The conversations that mattered most were happening between practitioners and leaders navigating the same challenges in real time, and the expertise anchoring those exchanges came from the community itself.

AI guidance dominated the room, but underneath the buzz, two themes kept surfacing in the work I focus on: data readiness and execution support. Members aren’t asking whether AI is the future; they’re asking whether their data architecture is ready for it, and whether their organizations have the skills, operating models, and change capacity to actually deliver on it.

These aren’t abstract questions; they’re the pressure points we hear in community conversations week after week, and Sapphire confirmed they’re far from resolved.

What we heard at Sapphire is a starting point, not a conclusion. The ASUG community exists to take what surfaces at moments like this and turn it into sustained, practical dialogue—and that work continues well beyond the conference floor.

Kelly Dowling: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Headed

During the conference, everywhere I went, customers were trying to get answers to the same questions: What does this mean for my organization? Where do I start? What are others doing? How do I separate what’s possible today from what’s coming tomorrow?

That’s where community comes in.

Our goal at ASUG has been to create opportunities for members to connect, learn, and grow by sharing experiences at in-person events, participating in virtual Community Conversations, engaging with digital content, or simply finding opportunities to connect directly with other ASUG members and peers. As we look ahead, our focus is on continuing to build those opportunities for connection throughout the year. That means bringing together customers, SAP, partners, and thought leaders across industries, lines of business, and strategic topic areas. It means creating more spaces for peer-to-peer learning. And it means ensuring that the topics and conversations happening within our communities continue to shape the content, programming, and experiences we deliver.

Community Is the Competitive Advantage

The future outlined at SAP Sapphire is evolutionary. SAP is redefining how work gets done and how organizations create value. The announcements point toward a future where AI can reason, recommend, and execute across business processes, powered by trusted enterprise data and decades of ERP knowledge. But technology alone does not create transformation.

Transformation happens when people understand what new capabilities mean for their business, their teams, and their customers. That is why, as we enter the next era of enterprise technology, community matters more than ever. The pace of innovation will continue to accelerate, but the need for connection, collaboration, and shared learning will remain constant.

Find your community. Join the conversation. Help shape what’s next.

Learn more and register:

SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Highlights: AI, Roadmaps, and What’s Next