SAP deploys 95%‑accurate AI to redefine consultant role by 2030
SAP’s internal test showed an AI model hitting a 95 percent success rate on a routine consulting task—until the very people meant to use it recognized the output as machine‑generated. The surprise wasn’t just the score; it was the pushback from seasoned advisors who felt the tool threatened their expertise. That reaction sparked a broader inquiry at the German software giant: can a system that “scores” that high be trusted to shoulder the repetitive, data‑heavy work that currently fills consultants’ days?
SAP’s research team, led by analyst Vazquez, set up a controlled trial to see how quickly practitioners would adopt—or reject—the technology. Results revealed a split between enthusiasm for the efficiency gains and a lingering wariness that AI might erode the human judgment central to client engagements. As the company maps out its roadmap toward 2030, the findings are shaping a vision of a new consulting archetype—one that leans on AI for the grunt work while preserving the deeply human aspects of the role.
The experiment has since become a revealing starting point for SAP’s push toward the consultant of 2030: a practitioner who is deeply human, enabled by AI, and no longer weighed down by the technical grunt work of the past. Overcoming AI skepticism …
The experiment has since become a revealing starting point for SAP's push toward the consultant of 2030: a practitioner who is deeply human, enabled by AI, and no longer weighed down by the technical grunt work of the past. Overcoming AI skepticism Resistance isn't surprising, Vazquez notes. Consultants with two or three decades of experience carry enormous institutional knowledge -- and an understandable degree of caution.
But AI copilots like Joule for Consultants are not replacing expertise. "What Joule really does is make their very expensive time far more effective," Vazquez says. "It removes the clerical work, so they can focus on turning out high-quality answers in a fraction of the time." He emphasizes this message constantly: "AI is not replacing you.
But now, instead of spending your time looking for documentation, you're gaining significant time and boosting the effectiveness and detail of your answers." The consultant time-shift: from tech execution to business insight Historically, consultants spent about 80% of their time understanding technical systems -- how processes run, how data flows, how functions execute.
Will the promised consultant of 2030 actually materialize? SAP’s quiet test suggests the technology can produce work that even seasoned staff mistake for human effort. Five teams reviewed over a thousand requirements generated by Joule for Consultants and, believing the output came from recent interns, rated it roughly 95 % accurate.
The result fuels SAP’s narrative that AI can strip away routine grunt work, leaving consultants to focus on human‑centric tasks. Yet the experiment also laid bare lingering doubt; Vazquez notes resistance isn’t surprising, and the shift hinges on overcoming that skepticism. The internal data stops short of proving long‑term adoption, and it remains unclear whether the same level of accuracy will hold across diverse client contexts.
Moreover, the study did not measure how consultants might integrate the tool into daily workflows or whether the perceived accuracy translates into measurable business outcomes. In short, the numbers are encouraging, but the path to a fully AI‑augmented consulting role still contains unanswered questions.
Further Reading
- SAP is quietly testing how far AI can replace its own consultants - Financial Times
- SAP bets on AI ‘copilots’ to reshape enterprise consulting by 2030 - Reuters
- AI copilots and the end of junior consultants? - MIT Sloan Management Review
- From PowerPoint to prompts: How generative AI is changing consulting work - McKinsey
- Enterprise AI agents move from pilots to production in professional services - TechCrunch
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Common Questions Answered
How accurate was the AI model tested by SAP on routine consulting tasks?
SAP’s internal test reported that the AI model achieved roughly a 95 percent accuracy rate when generating requirements for routine consulting tasks. Five teams evaluated over a thousand AI‑generated items and rated them as about 95 % correct, believing the work came from recent interns.
What reaction did seasoned SAP consultants have to the AI‑generated output?
Experienced consultants expressed pushback, noting that the AI‑produced results felt machine‑generated and threatened their expertise. Their skepticism stemmed from decades of institutional knowledge and concern that AI could replace the technical grunt work they traditionally performed.
What is the vision for the 'consultant of 2030' according to SAP’s leadership?
SAP envisions a consultant in 2030 who is deeply human, leveraging AI copilots like Joule for Consultants to eliminate repetitive, data‑heavy tasks. This future role would focus on human‑centric activities, allowing consultants to apply their expertise without being weighed down by technical grunt work.
Which AI tool did SAP use in the experiment, and what purpose does it serve?
The experiment utilized SAP’s AI copilot called Joule for Consultants, designed to generate requirements and handle routine consulting work. By automating these repetitive tasks, Joule aims to free consultants to concentrate on higher‑value, strategic activities.