Machine Learning in SAP Analytics Cloud: Future of Decision Making Webcast Recap

[TammyPowlas]

Machine Learning in SAP Analytics Cloud - future of decision making - Webcast


Figure 1: Source: SAP

This was an SAP webcast from last month.

Direction going with the product
Key capabilities
New features



Figure 2: Source: SAP

Intelligent Era - evolution regarding IT systems; started with digitization of processes
Repetitive tasks can be automated; allows knowledge workers to work on high value tasks
More empowered employees



Figure 3: Source: SAP
Where SAP Analytics Cloud fits in the intelligent landscape
Embed machine learning in application
Open innovation platform to understand opportunities



Figure 4: Source: SAP
Challenges today
Data discovery failed to meet expectations
Analytics is subject to human bias; selection bias as you can't ingest all information
How get to insights; typically through visual recognition; takes too much time
Next step to solve; plan, use machine learning - eliminates bias, uncovers insights


Figure 5: Source: SAP
Why not use machine learning? Too difficult, having to learn a program language, lack of expertise, lack of simple user interface/experience
In next 2 years, see 50% or more predictive done by citizen data scientist - not a job title, but an aspiration


Figure 6: Source: SAP
Make machine learning easy for business analysts
Product takes you on a journey - infuse results/techniques from machine learning, without having to take statistics courses

Start augmenting analytics with machine learning, get to data driven answers without human involvement - see key influencers, what is driving revenues, costs

Simulate change to take action

Start understand the patterns, trends, drivers in business
Feed trends into a business plan
Then assess

End to end cycle



Figure 7: Source: SAP
Digital Board room is the smart command center


Figure 8: Source: SAP
Content generation; in next 2 years, expect users to search for answers the way we naturally do
Search query in a natural sentence
Further enhanced with audio in the future
Also includes suggestions



Figure 9: Source: SAP
Where to get started

Classification is Y/N - will someone buy?
Regression - how explain something? What are variables contributing to revenue
Time series - here what has happened historically, project to future



Figure 10: Source: SAP
Think of how data needs to be manipulated


Figure 11: Source: SAP
Think of use case, where get data from and get data and source it

Subset of Q&A

Q: Are these available for live connections?
A: Not today; plan for end of year

Q: Does this have integration with different sources?
A: Depends on features
Smart predict - only for flat file only
More later this year

Q: When smart predict?
A: Net new customers - able to provision
Smart predict - new infrastructure - support for existing customers - working out what migration path looks like

Q: What are the machine learning capabilities?
A: Is it end user building models or computer building the models
Machine learning foundation - audio, image recognition - not in the platform
Depends on how you define