SAP acquires Contextor to develop its own machine learning portfolio

The Germany-based multinational software corporation SAP is reportedly speeding up the development of its own machine learning portfolio by acquiring Contextor SAS, a European firm specializing in the integration and design of robotic process automation.

Reportedly, the automation is slated to simplify interactions that users have across SAP and non-SAP applications. Sources familiar with the matter claim that the technology of Contextor would be integrated with SAP Cloud Platform and document processing technology and conversational AI technology provided by SAP Leonardo Machine Learning.

As per the statement released by SAP, the automation technology of Contextor has been created to free software users from executing repetitive tasks, as well as allowing for both unattended and attended automation within and across applications.

According to a press release issued by SAP, the addition of intelligent RPA into SAP S/4HANA is anticipated in the first half of the year 2019. Other applications of the firm would follow soon after the addition of intelligent RPA, cite reliable sources.

Head of Machine Learning at SAP, Markus Noga was reportedly quoted stating that various businesses would now be able to attain the high automation level which is required to become intelligent enterprises owing to the intelligent RPA accelerate by Contextor. The takeover is a significant step toward arranging process automation and would assist SAP to incorporate RPA capabilities into the applications such as SAP S/4HANA, Noga further added.

Over the next three years, SAP aims to automate almost half of all the business procedures backed by its SAP ERP software by utilizing RPA technology of Contextor, claim people familiar the development. For the record, the Paris-based Contextor was established in 2000 and has expertise in the research and development of RPA software to deliver efficient, nimble, and clever stand-alone bots, wizards, and application assistants.