SAP announced it will restrict new hiring to core AI roles. It will suspend non-essential business travel to allocate resources to artificial intelligence initiatives, aiming to strengthen its position in the enterprise software market.

In May, the German company unveiled the Autonomous Enterprise concept. It also launched the SAP Business AI Platform, which enables developers to build and deploy AI solutions using data from its ERP, CRM and HCM systems.

SAP said internal reviews are focusing investment on AI talent and technology while applying greater discipline to hiring, external spending and travel. An email seen by Bloomberg indicated that hiring would be limited to selected AI profiles deemed critical for long-term success. Travel unrelated to AI development would be paused. The company also plans to reduce spending with suppliers.

An SAP spokesperson told The Register that the firm continuously evaluates its investments to ensure resources support customer value and innovation. Customer-facing activities and critical AI projects remain fully supported.

In 2022, then-CFO Luka Mucic told investors that SAP expected support revenue to decline to €8.5 billion by 2025, down from about €11.5 billion in 2021 as customers shift to cloud subscriptions. However, the company reported on-premises support revenue of €10.5 billion for 2025, which is 7 percent lower than the €11.29 billion recorded in 2024 and €2 billion below its target.