AI is moving further into the ERP conversation. Across platforms such as IFS, Infor and NetSuite, AI is increasingly being built into the systems businesses already rely on .

From automating tasks and supporting decision-making to analysing data and assisting with day-to-day processes.

For organisations investing in ERP, this creates plenty of opportunities. But it also raises an important question: what does this mean for the people who implement, manage and develop these systems?

Because while the technology is changing quickly, the need for people who understand how ERP works in the real world isn't going away.

In fact, the skills businesses need may be becoming more nuanced.

AI is becoming part of the ERP itself

For a long time, conversations around AI and ERP focused on what businesses could do by connecting emerging technologies to their existing systems.

That conversation is changing.

ERP vendors are increasingly incorporating AI capabilities directly into their platforms. This means AI can sit much closer to the business processes it is intended to support - whether that's finance, supply chain, manufacturing, service management, reporting or customer operations.

For businesses, that could mean more automation, faster access to information and new ways of working.

But introducing new capabilities into an ERP environment is rarely as simple as switching on a feature.

Organisations still need to understand how those capabilities fit into their processes, data, integrations, controls and wider technology landscape.

And that is where experienced ERP professionals remain important.

The ERP professional's role is evolving

It's easy to frame AI in terms of what it might replace.

For ERP teams, a more useful question is what it might change.

Some of the more repetitive tasks involved in reporting, analysis, testing, documentation or support may increasingly be assisted by AI.

That doesn't necessarily reduce the need for ERP expertise. Instead, it can change where that expertise is applied.

An experienced consultant, for example, brings an understanding of the underlying platform as well as the business processes around it. They can challenge requirements, identify risks, understand dependencies and work with stakeholders to determine whether a new capability genuinely adds value.

Those skills become particularly relevant when technology is evolving quickly.

The ability to configure an ERP system remains important. So does understanding why it has been configured that way in the first place.

Technical knowledge is only part of the picture

As ERP platforms become more intelligent, the value of combining technical expertise with business understanding becomes increasingly clear.

A professional might have deep knowledge of IFS, Infor or NetSuite, but also need to understand the wider environment in which that platform operates.

That could include:

  • Business process and functional knowledge
  • Data structures and data quality
  • Integrations and APIs
  • Security and governance
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Cloud architecture
  • Change management
  • AI-enabled functionality and its practical applications

This doesn't mean every ERP professional needs to become an AI specialist.

It does mean that being curious about how these technologies affect the platform, the customer and the end user is likely to become increasingly valuable.

Data and integration matter more, not less

There is another important part of the AI conversation that can sometimes get overlooked: the quality of the data underneath it.

AI can only work effectively within the environment it is given.

If data is inconsistent, fragmented or difficult to access, introducing more intelligent functionality won't automatically solve those underlying problems.

The same applies to integrations.

As organisations connect more applications, automate more processes and expect information to move seamlessly between systems, the people who understand how those systems interact become increasingly important.

This is particularly relevant in complex ERP environments where organisations may have multiple platforms, legacy applications, third-party solutions and industry-specific requirements operating alongside one another.

AI may change what businesses want their ERP systems to do.

It doesn't remove the need to understand how those systems actually work.

What could this mean for ERP teams?

For businesses, the changing technology landscape may also influence how ERP teams are built.

Rather than looking for one particular "AI skill", organisations may increasingly benefit from people who combine strong ERP expertise with an understanding of emerging technologies.

That could mean an experienced NetSuite professional who understands how new AI capabilities can support finance or operations.

It could mean an IFS specialist who understands how automation and AI can be applied within complex, asset-intensive environments.

Or an Infor professional who can connect the capabilities of the platform with the organisation's wider data, integration and cloud strategy.

The common thread isn't a specific job title.

It's the ability to connect technology, process and people.

The skills conversation is changing

For ERP professionals, this doesn't necessarily mean completely reinventing their careers.

It may be more about building on the expertise they already have.

Deep platform knowledge remains valuable. So does experience of real implementations, upgrades, optimisation and transformation programmes.

Alongside that, professionals who keep developing their understanding of automation, AI, data and integration are likely to be better placed to contribute as ERP environments continue to evolve.

For businesses, the challenge is slightly different.

As ERP technology develops, it can be tempting to focus heavily on the capabilities of the platform itself. But the people responsible for translating those capabilities into something useful for the organisation remain a critical part of the equation.

The technology is changing. The need for expertise isn't.

AI will undoubtedly change how people interact with ERP systems.

It may automate some tasks, introduce new ways of working and give organisations access to capabilities that weren't previously available within their ERP environment.

But successful ERP transformation has never been purely about technology.

It depends on people who understand the platform, the organisation and the problems they are trying to solve.

That is unlikely to change.

If anything, as ERP platforms become more sophisticated, having the right expertise around them becomes even more important.

For organisations across Europe, the question therefore isn't simply "What can AI do within our ERP?"

It's also:

"Do we have the right people to make the most of it?"

At IT Works Europe, we work across specialist ERP markets including IFS, Infor and NetSuite, connecting organisations with the professionals who understand these platforms and the environments in which they operate.

As the technology evolves, so will the skills and experience businesses need around it.