SAP NEWSBYTE — November 5, 2025 — SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) presented a new study at the SAP TechEd technology conference in Berlin that shows that German companies are already achieving measurable business success with artificial intelligence (AI).
On average, German companies – from medium-sized businesses to large corporations – are investing 29.8 million euros in AI projects this year. The majority of companies plan to increase their spending by 37% by 2027. Germany follows the USA (32 million euros) and China (36.4 million euros) with strong growth dynamics. German companies are investing more than ever before in AI and are expecting tangible results: According to the SAP study, they expect the return on investment (ROI) to double from today’s 17% to 31% by 2027. 77% of companies expect their AI investments to pay for themselves in less than three years. However, only 9% of companies currently follow a strategic prioritization of AI investments.
Data quality determines success
AI already supports 25% of tasks in German companies, and in two years it will be 41%. The majority of those surveyed expect AI to play a central role in business processes by 2029 at the latest. However, certain areas – such as the legal department, finance, or human resources as well as the management of some companies – still have doubts about the maturity of the data and their ability to exchange data responsibly.
“The study confirms that the quality of data and the trustworthy handling of AI are crucial for the success of AI projects,” says Philipp Herzig, CTO and Chief AI Officer at SAP. “When AI is integrated directly into processes and business applications with high-quality data, companies achieve added value and measurable returns – today and in the future.”
According to the SAP study, the responsible use of AI remains a central issue. 84% of those surveyed see risks from unauthorized AI use.
Agentic AI as a growth driver
Agentic AI – i.e. intelligent, independently acting systems – promises a new boost in innovation and is raising great expectations among German companies. 72% of the companies surveyed see great transformation potential in AI agents. 67% of those surveyed expect significant added value, especially when controlling complex processes across different business areas. 60% of companies see themselves as at least partially and 2% fully prepared for the use of AI agents.
For the “SAP Value of AI Report,” 1,600 managers from eight countries worldwide were surveyed, including 200 from Germany. The complete study results are available for download: for Germany / global results.
Respondents were asked to provide financial estimates in U.S. dollars. Euro values are based on an exchange rate of 1.155, using the ECB rate as of October 30, 2025.
Contact person for the press:
Benjamin Nickel, +49 30 6341 070 266, benjamin.nickel@sap.com, CET
Katrin Pommer, +49 151 18 96 84 93, katrin.pommer@sap.com, CET
SAP press area; press@sap.com
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