SAP India Head: India's SMBs prioritize AI

India is among the fastest-growing markets for SAP globally and Europe's largest software maker is upbeat about the demand pick-up from small and medium businesses that are keen on adopting technology and AI for driving scale and efficiency needs.

The German firm - whose software is used by some of the largest and well-known companies across the globe to streamline business processes from inventory management to supply chains - is scripting a "phenomenal story" in India, Manish Prasad, President and MD of SAP Indian Subcontinent told PTI in an interview, describing the market as a "melting pot of innovation, scale and execution".

The Indian market is growing at a faster rate than expected, Prasad said adding small and medium businesses (SMBs), which are an important cog in that, are prioritising AI in a big way.

A tech veteran and seasoned business leader, Prasad is leading the charge on SAP's growth and innovation strategies in the Indian subcontinent.

SAP India began its operations in 1996, and currently caters to both large enterprises and SMBs. Demand, Prasad says, is across industries.

SMBs are focusing on accelerating their growth through technology, and keen to embrace the transformative power of AI.

Over half of Indian midmarket businesses surveyed place a high priority on AI to transform privacy and security (55 per cent) and improve decision-making (52 per cent), ahead of business from the rest of the world (50 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively).

Indian midmarket businesses are also prioritising AI to improve training and skills development (51 per cent), customer experience (50 per cent), and to optimise supply chains and logistics (50 per cent).

With India offering large and growing pool of STEM-qualified resources, SAP is also doubling down on talent in the country.