With the help of SAP AppHaus Network partner Flexso, Belgian steel wire manufacturer Bekaert has developed SAP AI Core, a new AI master data assistant in the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) and SAP SuccessFactors solutions.
As a company, Bekaert wants to focus on both people and data. To do this, the company must be comprehensively repositioned strategically and culturally, with artificial intelligence playing a crucial role. As a first step, the company relied on the integrated AI functionswhich are already available in the existing HR solutions such as SAP SuccessFactors. The focus was initially on a few integrated AI use cases, on which an independent AI tool was built and with which new possibilities were opened up. The advantages of AI quickly became apparent here.
“AI helps us achieve our goals and represents a logical extension of our HR strategy,” says Jorn Waterschoot, Global Head of HR Technology at Bekaert. “AI is transforming companies with its increasing capabilities, cost efficiency and versatility by increasing user-friendliness, acceptance and the ability to try out many things. At Bekaert, these advantages are used in human resources. To fully exploit the potential of AI, we rely on careful control of hidden costs and end-to-end implementation. At Bekaert, employees should feel like they are in a candy store with AI: once they have had a taste of how versatile AI is, they will want to explore its possibilities further.”
First use case: the AI Master Data Assistant
Together with the long-term partner and SAP AppHaus Network member Flexso Bekaert focused on people-centered innovation to identify opportunities and use cases. In the course of this, an independent AI tool was discovered that Bekaert used to improve personnel data. This tool was not integrated into the existing software landscape, so data had to be extracted and imported.
To optimize this complex process, Flexso supported the development and construction of a customer-specific AI solution called “AI Master Data Assistant” using SAP AI Core in the SAP Business Technology Platform. This new solution has been fully integrated into SAP SuccessFactors solutions using the SAP Integration Suite. Currently, the solution uses a specific AI model from the Generative AI Hub in SAP AI Core. However, the flexibility with different models offered through the Generative AI Hub would allow the partner to use a different AI model for this solution in the future.
Who benefits from AI in human resources at Bekaert?
With the AI Master Data Assistant, Bekaert’s HR teams can improve data quality by automatically detecting, correcting and preventing errors in employee records. The assistant can identify inconsistencies, duplicates and gaps in information, ensuring that all data is correct, complete and up-to-date. This allows users to enter prompts in natural language and then receive suggestions for improvements. Using chat-like dialogs, they can standardize formats, correct errors and review entries in real time.
For innovation projects, Bekaert usually introduces new solutions step by step using role-specific use cases and then implements them throughout the company. The HR Business Partners and the HR Admin roles initially benefited from the new AI Master Data Assistant.
Flexibility for the future
As part of the global SAP AppHaus Network, Flexso and its customers always rely on a shared innovation approach with people and sustainability at the center. The aim is to bring innovations to the people. David Pierre, AI Practice Lead at Flexso, explains: “The AI world is evolving so quickly. So the principle in our solution is independence from the AI model. Today we use GPT to support our use case. But if a better model presents itself in the future, we can also switch to other models as they are all supported by SAP BTP.”
Imke Vierjahn is SAP AppHaus Communications Lead.
