NTT DATA Deploys SAP AI, Cloud Solutions to Overhaul Global HR Operations

NTT DATA is deploying SAP’s cloud and artificial intelligence solutions to overhaul its global human resources operations, as the technology services group moves to consolidate multiple legacy systems into a single workforce management platform.

The company has adopted SAP SuccessFactors solutions and SAP Business Data Cloud, integrated with Joule, SAP’s AI orchestrator, to support its global People and Culture transformation.

The deployment is expected to provide NTT DATA with a unified platform for managing employee and talent data, while improving workforce planning, decision-making and HR service delivery across its global operations.

NTT DATA, a global technology and digital services company with more than $30 billion in revenue, serves about 75 per cent of the Fortune Global 100.

The company plans to deploy SAP SuccessFactors over a 12-month period.

NTT DATA Consolidates Legacy HR Systems

The transformation will replace multiple legacy HR systems with a centralised platform designed to provide a single source of workforce information across the organisation.

SAP SuccessFactors will serve as NTT DATA’s primary system of record for employee and talent data, while SAP Business Data Cloud will connect workforce information with insights generated across other areas of the business.

The integration is expected to give management a more comprehensive view of workforce performance and business operations while reducing fragmentation across HR processes.

NTT DATA Chief People Officer Stijn Nauwelaerts said the initiative reflected the company’s view of talent as a strategic differentiator and artificial intelligence as an increasingly important enterprise capability.

“Ultimately, this is about creating an environment where our people feel empowered to do their best work, wherever they are in the world,” Nauwelaerts said.

AI Becomes Part of Workforce Management

The deployment also reflects the growing integration of artificial intelligence into corporate HR systems.

Joule, SAP’s AI orchestrator, is expected to support the platform by bringing AI capabilities into workforce processes and helping employees and managers interact more efficiently with enterprise information.

For large multinational organisations, consolidating workforce data can also support more consistent decision-making across recruitment, talent management, employee development and workforce planning.

The project forms part of a wider technology transformation already underway at NTT DATA.

In 2025, the company adopted SAP Cloud ERP Private solutions to modernise its core enterprise systems.

The latest HR deployment extends that transformation into workforce management, linking employee information more closely with other business data.

NTT DATA to Lead Its Own Implementation

NTT DATA will use its internal SAP expertise to design and implement the new platform rather than relying entirely on an external deployment team.

According to the company, the approach will create a single authoritative source for HR data and processes, enabling faster and more consistent services across its international workforce.

The implementation could also provide NTT DATA with firsthand experience that it can apply when advising clients undertaking similar AI and cloud-driven HR transformations.

By deploying the technology internally, the company is effectively using its own workforce transformation as a test case for services it provides to enterprise customers.

SAP Targets AI-Driven Employee Productivity

SAP Chief Customer Officer and Executive Board member Thomas Saueressig said the combination of cloud technology and AI could reshape employee experiences across large organisations.

“NTT DATA is demonstrating how AI and cloud technology can redefine the employee experience,” Saueressig said.

He added that a unified intelligent HR platform could help improve productivity while allowing NTT DATA to scale its workforce strategy across its global operations.

The deployment highlights a broader shift in enterprise technology as companies move away from fragmented legacy systems towards cloud-based platforms capable of combining operational data with artificial intelligence.

For NTT DATA, the investment is expected to serve two purposes: modernising the systems used to manage its global workforce and strengthening its practical expertise in implementing AI-powered enterprise solutions for clients.

As businesses increasingly seek measurable returns from AI investments, workforce management is emerging as one area where companies are applying the technology to automate processes, improve access to data and support faster organisational decision-making.