Many businesses still use SAP ECC 6.0, a stable and widely deployed enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that will remain in operation for years even as SAP’s next-generation platform, S/4HANA, becomes more common. While industry conversations about AI in SAP often assume companies must first migrate to S/4HANA or adopt the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) to benefit from artificial intelligence, the article argues that ECC users don’t have to wait for modernization to start using AI today.
The perception that AI integration requires a fully modern architecture is challenged by the fact that ECC already includes interfaces — such as RFC function modules and HTTP services — that can reliably communicate with external systems. Advances in large language models mean that AI can now understand ABAP code, analyse data structures, suggest solutions, and generate code, making it feasible to connect AI directly to ECC systems without needing cloud platforms or lengthy migrations first.
Of course, integrating AI into a business-critical system raises questions about governance and control. The article emphasises that while AI can suggest changes or analyse data, humans must retain final decision-making authority, especially for actions that alter system objects or core processes. Existing SAP transport, approval and authorization frameworks are still used to manage changes, ensuring that AI enhances developer productivity without undermining controls or compliance.
Importantly, the author clarifies that this approach isn’t meant to replace modernization — moving to S/4HANA still offers performance and functional benefits — but rather to offer a bridge for companies waiting years before migrating. Using AI now can help teams better understand legacy code, document business logic and uncover dependencies, ultimately smoothing future transitions while keeping current systems relevant.
