NTT DATA Business Solutions announced the rollout of “Elevate,” an Agentic AI‑powered delivery framework that stitches together its aXet platform, Natuvion data‑transformation tools and SAP’s Agent‑Led Toolchain. The service aims to speed up “RISE with SAP” migrations and embed AI‑driven automation across the ERP lifecycle, a move that reflects growing pressure on enterprises to combine ERP modernization with generative‑AI capabilities.
Elevate is positioned as a software‑enabled delivery methodology rather than a standalone product. At its core lies NTT DATA aXet.elevate, a secure, cloud‑native environment that aggregates consulting assets, governance policies and a suite of AI agents. These agents can, for example, auto‑populate assessment questionnaires, generate migration scripts, or orchestrate testing cycles. The framework also integrates SAP Business AI Platform services—such as the Agent‑Led Toolchain and SAP’s generative‑AI APIs—to so that the same AI models that power SAP’s own Co‑Pilot assistants can be invoked directly from NTT DATA’s delivery console.
Three pillars make up Elevate’s architecture:
- Secure delivery platform (aXet.elevate): Provides role‑based access, audit trails and a unified data model for all transformation artifacts.
- Data‑transformation engine (Natuvion): Cleanses, maps and enriches legacy master data, feeding it into SAP S/4HANA or RISE‑based clouds.
- SAP AI services: Leverages the Agent‑Led Toolchain, SAP Business AI Platform and pre‑trained large language models to generate code snippets, recommend process improvements, and drive “clean‑core” adoption.
By standardizing these components, NTT DATA claims consultants can reduce manual effort on repetitive tasks by up to 40 %, allowing them to focus on higher‑value design and change‑management work.
Most SAP system integrators still rely on conventional, waterfall‑style project plans, where data migration, testing and user training are siloed. Elevate’s “agentic” approach attempts to blur those silos: AI agents monitor progress in real time, surface risk indicators, and suggest corrective actions before a human reviewer is needed. In contrast, traditional SAP partner toolkits—such as SAP Activate—provide templates but lack built‑in autonomous execution.
The ERP market is at a crossroads. Gartner predicts that by 2027, more than two‑thirds of large enterprises will embed AI agents into core business processes. At the same time, IDC estimates worldwide spending on AI systems will exceed $500 billion in 2025, driven largely by enterprise‑level automation. Companies that are already on a “RISE with SAP” path face a double‑digit annual pressure to accelerate migration while demonstrating ROI from AI investments. Elevate attempts to address both imperatives in a single delivery model.
NTT DATA cites three early adopters:
- Lemvigh‑Müller: Automated supplier confirmation processing, cutting manual validation time by roughly 30 %.
- zeb: AI‑orchestrated consulting workflow that reduced proposal generation from days to hours.
- Synthomer: Intelligent sales‑order processing that flags pricing anomalies before they reach finance.
All three retain human oversight, with AI agents surfacing suggestions that consultants approve or reject, preserving accountability while improving speed.
While the framework promises efficiency, several challenges remain:
- Data quality dependency: AI agents can only act on accurate master data; poor data hygiene could propagate errors at scale.
- Governance complexity: Integrating autonomous agents into regulated industries (e.g., pharma) requires rigorous audit trails and compliance checks.
- Change‑management overhead: Organizations must invest in upskilling staff to collaborate with AI, a process NTT DATA addresses through its internal enablement program but which may still strain budgets.
Implications for the broader AI ecosystem
Elevate’s launch signals a shift from AI‑enhanced applications toward AI‑driven delivery platforms. By embedding large language models (LLMs) and generative AI directly into the project‑management layer, NTT DATA blurs the line between “tool” and “service.” This could prompt cloud providers—Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, AWS—to expand their AI‑automation APIs to include lifecycle‑management functions, not just content generation.
Moreover, the framework’s reliance on SAP Business AI Platform aligns with SAP’s own strategy to become an “AI‑first” ERP vendor. If Elevate gains traction, it may encourage other SAP partners to adopt similar agentic models, potentially accelerating the emergence of a market segment focused on “AI‑augmented transformation services.”
Future roadmap and AI‑native extensions
NTT DATA also hinted at AI‑native add‑ons built on top of Elevate, such as GLASSWING (master‑data governance) and MAKIRA (generative document processing). These solutions aim to extend the value chain beyond migration, offering continuous, AI‑driven data stewardship and contract lifecycle management. The company’s broader R&D spend—part of NTT Group’s $3 billion annual budget—suggests a long‑term commitment to embedding generative AI across its service portfolio.
Market Landscape
The convergence of ERP modernization and enterprise AI is reshaping the consulting market. IDC’s forecast that global AI system spending will surpass $500 billion in 2025 underscores the scale of investment, while a recent Forrester survey found that 62 % of CIOs view AI‑enabled ERP as a top priority for the next 12 months. Traditional SAP partners such as Accenture, Deloitte and Capgemini have launched AI‑focused practice units, but most still rely on manual delivery processes.
Elevate’s agentic model differentiates itself by embedding AI at the delivery‑engine level rather than as an after‑thought add‑on. If the claimed 40 % reduction in manual effort materializes, it could set a new benchmark for efficiency, prompting rivals to develop comparable autonomous delivery stacks. However, adoption will hinge on demonstrable ROI, especially for mid‑market firms that comprise NTT DATA’s core clientele.
Top Insights
- Elevate merges NTT DATA’s aXet platform with SAP’s Agent‑Led Toolchain, creating an AI‑driven delivery engine that targets faster “RISE with SAP” migrations.
- Early pilots show AI agents can cut manual validation tasks by 30 % while keeping human oversight for compliance and quality.
- IDC predicts AI system spending will top $500 billion in 2025, indicating strong market appetite for AI‑augmented enterprise services.
- Potential risks include data‑quality dependence, governance complexity, and the need for workforce upskilling to collaborate with autonomous agents.
- If successful, Elevate could pressure cloud providers and SAP partners to embed AI deeper into project‑management and delivery workflows.
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