The following blog entry is an ideation on the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the area of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). This is a rapidly evolving area and I find it quite exciting what the future might bring.

For anyone who follows the news it is not hard to notice that companies are increasingly relying on AI, especially generative AI to streamline their development processes. Some even use generative AI to design or update their products. However, with the rise of AI, I think there is a danger that companies might inadvertently end up creating similar products by using the same tools to generate them. What could they do to overcome this challenge? How can they find innovative ways to differentiate themselves from the competition or to keep their signature unique features?

I think the solution lies in leveraging SAP PLM alongside AI, which can help companies maintain a well-organized repository of their existing and legacy products and preserve their unique features in a structured way. In this blog post, we will explore how companies can utilize AI and SAP PLM to create truly unique and desirable products in the future.

The Challenge of Product Similarity

As AI becomes more prevalent in the development process, companies face the risk of inadvertently creating products that are similar to those already available on the market, because the tools they use will run the same algorithms and monitor the same trends on the web. This can lead to fierce competition and a struggle to capture customers’ attention. To stand out and thrive, businesses must find ways to make their products unique and appealing.

The Role of SAP Product Lifecycle Management

SAP PLM provides companies with a comprehensive platform to manage the entire lifecycle of their products. It enables businesses to maintain a centralized repository of past and present product information, including designs, specifications, documentation and even ideas or plans for the future. By utilizing SAP PLM, companies can ensure that all product-related data is organized and easily accessible, facilitating efficient decision-making and collaboration. It encompasses the full lifecycle of a product, from its definition through its development and finally its actual delivery to the market. This gives an overview that is unparalleled.

Leveraging AI for Product Differentiation

AI can play a crucial role in helping companies respond to market needs more efficiently than before. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI algorithms can identify patterns, trends, and customer preferences and generate product designs that match them. This valuable insight can guide companies in creating much needed features and functionalities that cater to specific market demands in a much shorter time frame than before, reducing time-to-market. As AI tools are getting better and cheaper, so will their use spread in multiple industries and multiple phases of the lifecycle of a product.

AI-Driven Innovation with SAP PLM

Integrating AI capabilities into SAP PLM can enhance the product development process to a new level. AI algorithms can analyze existing or legacy product lines, identify their unique features, and suggest innovative ideas for new product development. By leveraging the use of AI in conjunction with all the data from SAP PLM, companies will be able ensure that their products remain distinctive and desirable in a crowded marketplace.

Continuous Improvement and Market Adaptation

AI-powered analytics can help companies monitor market trends, customer feedback, and competitor offerings. By combining this information with high quality, structured product data from SAP PLM, businesses can continuously improve their products in a faster way, adapting them to changing customer needs and preferences, while keeping their signature characteristics.

About the Author

Daniel Juhasz has more than 12 years of experience in the area of SAP PLM and has been working at SAP for more than 15 years. He is passionate about the future of PLM and spreading the word about the ever evolving capabilities and features of SAP’s new cloud offerings in the area. To find out more about SAP PLM, visit our site here: https://www.sap.com/products/scm/plm-r-d-engineering.html

Check out SAP’s AI page to get learn what we offer in this area: https://www.sap.com/products/artificial-intelligence.html