SAP SE announced that NTT DATA has selected SAP SuccessFactors solutions and SAP Business Data Cloud, integrated with Joule, SAP's AI orchestrator, to support the next phase of its global People and Culture transformation. The move will replace multiple legacy HR systems with a unified platform for people data and processes, affecting workforce planning and decision-making across the company's global operations.
NTT DATA, which employs more than 190,000 people worldwide, will use SAP SuccessFactors as the system of record for people and talent data. The platform will work alongside NTT DATA's existing employee service tools and specialist workforce planning systems, while SAP Business Data Cloud will connect HR data with insights from other business functions.
AI embedded across HR processes
The deployment reflects a broader shift in how NTT DATA views talent management. "The initiative reflects NTT DATA's view of talent as a strategic differentiator and AI as a capability that should be embedded across enterprise organizations," said Stijn Nauwelaerts, Chief People Officer at NTT DATA, Inc. "Ultimately, this is about creating an environment where our people feel empowered to do their best work, wherever they are in the world."
For HR professionals, the announcement signals how AI is moving from standalone tools into core HR infrastructure. The integration of Joule with SAP SuccessFactors means AI capabilities are built into the systems HR teams already use for hiring, performance management, and workforce planning. This is directly relevant to AI for Human Resources professionals evaluating how intelligent features will change daily workflows.
A 36-year partnership goes deeper
The deployment builds on a partnership between SAP and NTT DATA spanning more than 36 years. NTT DATA operates as an SAP platinum partner, global service partner, and global reseller for SAP. In 2025, the company adopted SAP Cloud ERP Private solutions to modernize its core systems.
NTT DATA will deploy SAP SuccessFactors internally over a 12-month period, applying its own SAP expertise to design and roll out the platform. The company's leadership says this creates a single, authoritative source of HR data and processes, laying the foundation for faster, more consistent HR services across the organization.
Running its own implementation also gives NTT DATA firsthand experience with the solutions it delivers to clients. The company plans to use that experience to guide customers through AI-driven HR transformation.
"NTT DATA is demonstrating how AI and cloud technology can redefine the employee experience," said Thomas Saueressig, Chief Customer Officer and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE. "With a unified, intelligent HR platform, the company will unlock new levels of productivity and scale a people strategy that supports a connected workforce worldwide."
Why this matters for HR professionals
For HR teams, the NTT DATA deployment is a working example of what happens when AI is embedded into the systems of record rather than bolted on as separate tools. The company is consolidating fragmented HR data into one source of truth, which directly addresses a common pain point: decisions made from incomplete or siloed people data.
The 12-month timeline also suggests that a full HR platform migration with AI integration is achievable on a realistic schedule for a large global organization. HR leaders planning similar moves can watch NTT DATA's rollout as a reference point - particularly how the company handles change management when replacing legacy systems across multiple countries and business units.
For CHROs specifically, the announcement reinforces that strategic HR leadership increasingly depends on understanding how AI transforms workforce processes. An AI Learning Path for CHROs can help HR executives evaluate which AI capabilities deliver measurable outcomes versus which are vendor features searching for a problem.
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