En route to a recent conference on how procurement networks are reshaping the aviation industry, I realized how amazing it was to be arriving in the historic city of Athens, the cradle of Western civilization. My enthusiasm owes not only to the city's timeless beauty, though that's reason enough to visit. Athens, it turns out, is ideally suited for such a gathering because it holds a unique place in the imagination for all of us who've ever wanted to fly. When you're fortunate enough to have as many Greek family members as I do, you learn about the ancient legends. So the fable of Icarus is well known to me.

Although artificial intelligence (AI) promises greater efficiency and could provide the key to tackling some of society's most pressing issues, not all Europeans are welcoming the technology with open arms. In a newly published thought leadership paper from SAP, "European Prosperity Through Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence," prepared by Andreas Tegge, head Global Public Policy, SAP addresses some anxieties and proposes measures for ensuring AI's rapid assimilation and advancement in Europe. No other technology currently inspires such fascination nor stirs up such heated debate as AI and the branch of AI known as machine learning. Algorithms that are capable of autonomously gaining insight from data without being explicitly programmed are already empowering machines to see, read, listen, and interact. In the intelligent enterprise, machine learning allows better and more efficient processes, which means that enterprises benefit from increased productivity levels and employees have more time to devote to tasks that add greater value.

Hardly a day goes by without news headlines trumpeting another advance in artificial intelligence. Yet despite all the publicity, many people still think of intelligence as the mere accumulation of information. The late musician Kurt Cobain shared an interesting perspective on the difference when he wrote: "I have met many minds able to store and translate a pregnantly large amount of information, yet they haven't an ounce of talent for wisdom or the appreciation of passion." Despite famously dropping out of high school, Cobain had an astute grasp on one of the most vexing problems in cognitive science. He understood you can have six strings on a guitar or 88 keys on a piano but still lack music.

Adidas is inviting all sports enthusiasts to join its product design team, using machine learning to transform the customer experience appropriately enough with speed and agility. "We haven't created a separate digital strategy," said Adidas CIO Michael Vöegele. "Digital technology is the enabler to help us achieve our objective to be the best sports brand in the world. To change people's lives, you need to build direct relationships with your consumers." Vöegele spoke during the keynote on the last day of the SAPPHIRE NOW and ASUG Annual Conference, sharing his company's vision to co-create a new supply chain with customers.

There's a supremely easy way to find the Mercedes-Benz of your dreams on the horizon, and I watched its premiere at the SAPPHIRE NOW 2018 event. Called the car detection app, this working prototype was a pitch perfect reflection of Daimler's evolution of the iconic Mercedes-Benz brand for a digital-first customer experience. I caught up with Robert Kriehs, Senior Solution Architect at Daimler, who shared the entire back story. "Whether someone is a first-time or long-time Mercedes-Benz customer, we want to provide them with a completely digital sales experience," said Kriehs. "We've already connected our customers with Mercedes me services using social media and mobile. Machine learning is the next innovation, meeting a new generation of drivers where they live, work and play with personalized, immediate services."

Adidas is inviting all sports enthusiasts to join its product design team, using machine learning to transform the customer experience appropriately enough with speed and agility. "We haven't created a separate digital strategy," said Adidas CIO Michael Vöegele. "Digital technology is the enabler to help us achieve our objective to be the best sports brand in the world. To change people's lives, you need to build direct relationships with your consumers." Vöegele spoke during the keynote on the last day of the SAPPHIRE NOW and ASUG Annual Conference, sharing his company's vision to co-create a new supply chain with customers.

Companies that do right will be the ones that win. The greatest challenge of our time is getting technology into everyone's hands regardless of their economic condition. Reskill workers, give women a fair shot with fair pay and senior opportunities, and hire differently abled people. This is how SAP CEO Bill McDermott characterized winning companies in the digital economy. Unabashedly bold and big, his ideas made a lot of sense as he chatted with William Lewis, CEO of Dow Jones, during a video interview just days away from SAP's biggest customer event, SAPPHIRE NOW 2018.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gearing up to help business leaders never be blindsided again. It's not that AI will prevent hurricanes, worker strikes, ingredient shortages, or competitor surges. But it could mean companies aren't taken by surprise because employees will have the ability to always make the best decisions, potentially turning major disasters into minor setbacks with reduced risk. This is the kind of world a group of experts envisioned during a roundtable session at the recent SAP Ariba Live event entitled, "Explore the Future of Intelligent Procurement: Getting to Smarter Decisions." Hosted by Drew Hofler, Vice President of Portfolio Marketing at SAP Ariba, the breakout delved into how business processes like procurement are scaling new heights in intelligent automation.

When it comes to digital business, Andrew McAfee knows a thing or two. A principal research scientist at MIT, prolific writer and management expert, McAfee is a leader in understanding and explaining how digital technologies are changing business, the economy, and society. At the recent SAP Leonardo Live event in Chicago that focused on digital transformation, McAfee urged his audience to throw out the business playbook they've been using for the past 30 years. "The right way to run a factory in the steam era became a really, really bad way to run it in the era of electrical power," he said. "Similarly, during a technology transition -- and afterwards -- the advice you used to follow becomes bad advice."

A few years ago Samantha Zirkin and her husband took their two young children and travelled around the world, volunteering at orphanages, schools and homes for abandoned or abused children. "I saw many children with the same sad story: dad gone, mother dead or dying after working under appalling conditions in a garment factory, no sanitation, no medical care," she recounts. "Some children had been so malnourished they could not stand on their own two legs. I decided to delve into the retail world to learn about the supply chain and workers' rights. And I wanted to know if people would pay $70 instead of $50 for an item they knew had been produced under fair conditions."