Global ERP News: Q4 2025 Round-Up — AI Agents Get Real, Cloud Roadmaps Mature, and Industry Suites Heat Up

Written By Julian Sayer

The last few months have been big for ERP: embedded AI agents have moved from slideware to production, vendors sharpened their industry-cloud stories, and user groups pushed for clearer value and simpler adoption paths. Here are the developments leaders should care about — and what they mean for programmes kicking off in 2026.

1) AI in ERP isn’t hype anymore — it’s shipping in suites

  • Oracle announced new AI agents across Fusion Applications to speed execution and decisioning in finance, supply chain, and projects — alongside customer proof points (e.g., PwC using document agents and narrative reporting to automate finance workflows). Oracle+1

  • SAP continued its Joule push: additional agent capabilities were highlighted in SAP’s H2 Innovation Guide and community updates; yet a CIO.com survey suggests many S/4HANA programmes aren’t activating Joule features during migration — a missed value lever. CIO+3SAP+3SAP Community+3

  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 delivered wave updates (Finance/Project Operations), plus Copilot enhancements rolling into late 2025 release trains. Microsoft Learn+2Microsoft Learn+2

  • Epicor widened availability of Prism (its embedded AI copilot) and “Grow AI,” now spanning 200+ supply-chain use cases across Kinetic and Prophet 21. Epicor+2Enterprise Times+2

Why it matters: 2026 programme charters should scope AI agent adoption as workstreams (with change, controls, and data-readiness), not “phase-2” nice-to-haves. The ROI is shifting from pure productivity to cycle-time and cash-flow impact (e.g., automated reconciliations, touchless AP, exception-led planning).

2) Market mood: integrated “best-of-suite” beats tool sprawl

Enterprise buyers are consolidating around suite-wide AI and data models rather than stitching best-of-breed point tools. SAP execs and customers are publicly framing “best-of-suite” as the operating model for AI at scale, with Joule as a single interaction layer across apps. Business Insider

Why it matters: Architecture choices now carry AI implications. A single semantic layer and governance model reduces total cost and speeds agent deployment versus multi-tool sprawl.

3) Cloud platform jockeying (and cost questions) intensify

  • Oracle’s AI build-out and ties to marquee AI workloads drew investor scrutiny about concentration risk and capital intensity — relevant for long-term ERP TCO and hosting location decisions. Reuters

  • SAP leadership pressed for pragmatic AI regulation in Europe, arguing that heavy rules slow industrial AI competitiveness — a backdrop for EU manufacturers planning S/4 and AI adoption in 2026. Reuters

Why it matters: CFOs are asking hard questions on run-costs for AI (GPU consumption, inference costs, data egress). Bake cost observability into your cloud ERP operating model from day one.

4) User groups & customers push for simpler adoption, clearer value

The UK & Ireland SAP User Group urged SAP to sharpen the “why cloud” message and even consider loss-leader apps to accelerate customer value on the journey. Adoption friction — not capability — is the blocker. Computing

Why it matters: Governance boards want near-term business outcomes. Tie releases to visible KPI shifts (DSO, forecast accuracy, on-time-in-full, period-close duration), not just technical milestones.

5) Vertical clouds and industrial AI: IFS, Infor, Epicor step forward

  • IFS doubled down on Industrial AI narratives (Gartner leader recognition; robotics & grid partnerships). For asset-intensive organisations, expect faster convergence of EAM + FSM + ERP around AI-assisted operations. manufacturingdigital.com+3ifs.com+3ifs.com+3

  • Infor flagged AI agents, automation, and AWS acceleration across CloudSuites; and Columbus announced a new UK partnership to deliver Infor M3 CloudSuites — relevant to Food & Beverage and distribution customers planning SaaS moves. infor.com+2infor.com+2

  • Epicor updates emphasised greener operations and embedded copilots in 2025.1/2025.2 releases, signalling that sustainability metrics are becoming standard ERP artefacts, not side systems. Epicor+1

Why it matters: For industry ERPs, fit beats fame. If you’re Food & Beverage, the combination of Infor CloudSuite F&B + automation remains compelling; asset-heavy firms should weigh IFS Cloud where EAM/FSM depth is decisive. infor.com

6) Sector watch: nonprofits want AI, but process debt holds them back

Unit4 research (via IDC interviews) shows nonprofits are positive on AI but manual processes and data maturity are the brake — a microcosm of many mid-market ERP buyers. Enterprise Times

What this means for 2026 ERP programmes

  1. Plan for AI agents on day one
    Create an AI adoption roadmap with governance, model risk, prompt libraries, and KPI baselines. Budget for usage-based AI costs alongside classic SaaS fees. Oracle+1

  2. Design for value, not just go-live
    Tie each release train to board-level outcomes (e.g., –3 days to close; –15% expedite fees; +2–4% forecast accuracy). Use process mining to prove it.

  3. Choose the right industry cloud

  • Infor CloudSuite M3 for F&B and distribution fit, with strong AWS momentum and partner capacity in the UK. infor.com+1

  • IFS Cloud when EAM/FSM are core to the value story. ifs.com

  • Oracle Fusion when finance-first scalability and embedded agents are key. Oracle

  • Dynamics 365 for tight Microsoft stack leverage and Copilot ubiquity. Microsoft Learn

  1. Don’t skip the change layer
    CIO.com’s finding — many S/4 programmes aren’t turning on AI — is a reminder that capability ≠ adoption. Fund enablement & operating-model change explicitly. CIO

One 4 Consulting POV (quick take)

For mid-market manufacturers and F&B, the winning 2026 blueprint is cloud ERP + embedded agents + measurable KPIs from the first release. If you’re evaluating Infor M3 CloudSuite, leverage the expanding UK partner ecosystem and plan automation sprints (trade promos, quality, traceability) in parallel with core finance/supply chain. Columbus Global

Sources & Further Reading

Reuters on Oracle AI/cloud exposure; SAP CEO on EU AI rules; Business Insider on “best-of-suite”; SAP innovation/Joule; CIO.com on S/4 & Joule adoption; Oracle AI agents & PwC usage; Microsoft release notes; IFS news/recognition; Infor news & M3 partner expansion; Epicor AI updates; Unit4 research. Enterprise Times+18Reuters+18Reuters+18

Julian Sayer
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