It won\u2019t be long before AI agents will write code and transform legacy applications for use in the SAP cloud. Sonja Li\u00e9nard, head of ABAP platform at SAP, talks about the future of SAP\u2019s iconic ABAP programming language and ABAP platform.<\/p>\n
Li\u00e9nard is an information scientist and business informatics professional who joined SAP in 2012. As senior vice president and head of ABAP platform at SAP, she is responsible for ABAP and all matters related to ABAP platform. In this role, she is also the head of ABAP AI and thus globally responsible for the latest developments and innovations in this domain.<\/p>\n
In this interview, she discusses ABAP, the role of AI<\/a> in development, how agentic AI will transform legacy applications, and what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n Q: What is ABAP, exactly? How would you explain it to someone who might have heard of it but doesn\u2019t really know what it is? And why is ABAP so important for enterprise software?<\/p>\n A: ABAP has a very long history at SAP. It is the company\u2019s first and only proprietary programming language and turned 40 in 2023\u2014an unusually long run in the fast-changing world of software.<\/p>\n What sets ABAP apart from other programming languages such as Java or C++ is that it was specifically designed for building and optimizing the business applications that large enterprises rely on every day. Among its many features is a high level of abstraction, which makes it very easy for developers to write or extend business software. It also reduces complexity because security concepts, authorization checks, and quality controls are already embedded in the language. This allows developers to focus entirely on the business logic\u2014that is, on the tasks they want the program to perform.<\/p>\n Over the years, ABAP has evolved to keep pace with how companies deploy software. The newest version is ABAP Cloud, which has a restricted language scope and is designed to support development in what SAP calls a \u201cclean core.\u201d This is essential for running our cloud products. Enterprises still operating in a non-cloud environment can use ABAP Cloud to prepare the code in their on-premise systems or in SAP S\/4HANA Cloud Private Edition in such a way that it can also be run in the cloud.<\/p>\n Help your teams get more done faster and more efficiently with AI and agents<\/p>\n Beyond its role as a programming language, ABAP is also a platform. ABAP platform is the foundation that underpins all of SAP\u2019s core solutions, from older installations such as SAP ERP Central Component (SAP ECC) to on-premise solutions, SAP\u00a0S\/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, and SAP\u00a0S\/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.<\/p>\n Q: Will ABAP continue to play a crucial role for SAP customers?<\/p>\n A: Yes, both in terms of the programming language and the platform ABAP is still highly relevant. The programming language looks very different to the way it did 40 years ago of course\u2014because we have continuously refined it over the years\u2014but it still forms the backbone of SAP\u2019s core ERP solutions and extensions. There are roughly five million registered ABAP developers worldwide today, with around two million actively developing.<\/p>\n Through ABAP Cloud and our dedicated ABAP AI team, ABAP has evolved into a modern development language for business solutions. I don\u2019t know of any other programming language that covers this scope. It is used globally. Almost all the world\u2019s 100 largest companies are SAP S\/4HANA customers, and underneath it always runs ABAP platform.<\/p>\n Q: How will AI shape ABAP development going forward?<\/p>\n A: For me as head of ABAP platform, this is one of the questions that intrigues me most. AI has completely disrupted the technology market. This of course also impacts the SAP developer portfolio and how we customize and extend our solutions. We have therefore invested in AI-powered efficiency tools, such as a chat assistant that explains code on the fly. Another is \u201cghost texting,\u201d a feature that generates code suggestions while the developer types.<\/p>\n In the coming years, AI agents will be able to generate code\u2014including at the scale demanded of large enterprises\u2014and even build entire solutions. We believe that the next wave of AI will not just assist programmers but take on many of the routine tasks they perform today.<\/p>\n A crucial question for SAP is: how can we leverage AI to translate legacy code into modern code without losing the underlying business logic that makes each system unique? A lot of our customers are still operating older solutions, including those based on SAP ECC. So, we need to provide a clear migration strategy and the right tools to simplify and accelerate their move to the cloud.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why we\u2019re currently developing a service that will work for everyone\u2014regardless of which system version they run. The aim is to bundle all of SAP\u2019s ABAP AI capabilities into a single offering that can boost developer efficiency and allow custom code to be migrated. Ideally, this service will be agent-driven\u2014as \u201cagentic AI.\u201d<\/p>\n Q: What is agentic AI?<\/p>\n A: Agentic AI works with so-called \u201cagents.\u201d Agents have specialized capabilities, can communicate with each other, exchange results, and thus solve highly complex tasks together. How they collaborate varies based on the complexity of the use case.<\/p>\n Most approaches involve an \u201corchestrator,\u201d a lead agent that manages other agents to complete a particular task. The orchestrator does not have to call on the individual agents in a fixed order\u2014rather, its greatest strength lies in intelligently combining the agents in dynamic, adaptive networks.<\/p>\n So, it\u2019s no longer just about making human developers more efficient. When agents are powerful enough, they can build entire applications and thus take on part of the developer\u2019s tasks. In our case, agentic AI can support the very complex task of transforming code, accelerating it significantly and reducing complexity.<\/p>\n This approach relies on different agents that focus on different aspects of the task: for instance, one agent specializes in explaining custom code; another makes code changes; and a third estimates the effort of a transformation project. When these agents collaborate, that\u2019s when the real magic of agentic AI happens.<\/p>\n AI will radically change the role of developers. Despite continuing to set the direction, they will increasingly focus on business logic rather than on the coding itself. They will work with the code generated by AI systems, checking that it is correct, secure, and aligned with the problem they\u2019re trying to solve. Thought leadership, however, will remain firmly with people. Developers will continue to decide what matters and communicate their instructions to AI through good prompts. The entire AI domain is extremely dynamic and evolving at astounding speed. Powerful solutions are already available today, so this isn\u2019t a distant vision\u2014it\u2019s already upon us.<\/p>\n Q: How do customers benefit from agentic AI?<\/p>\n A: Agentic AI will deliver significant value in transforming legacy applications and custom extensions into cloud solutions from SAP, and thus the latest ERP versions. In February 2026, we extended our existing custom code management app with AI features that help developers understand what the code is doing and what changes are needed to future-proof it. And, of course, AI also provides recommendations on how the code can be extended. In the future, we will complement all this with agents. However, this will take some time, as we refuse to compromise on quality and security.<\/p>\n We are also investing in the developer experience with ABAP platform to make it as easy to use as possible. Here, agentic AI will help reduce the complexity that has built up over decades of development.<\/p>\n Q: Should we be worried about security?<\/p>\n A: No, we deliberately allow sufficient time before any release to make sure that quality and, above all, security meet a high bar.\u00a0Don\u2019t worry: AI won\u2019t take control and generate or integrate solutions unilaterally or unchecked. Humans will remain in charge every step of the way and will always have the last word when it comes to ensuring that code complies with our standards.<\/p>\n Q: Where are we now and what\u2019s next?<\/p>\n A: ABAP AI tools aimed at boosting developer productivity have been available since February 2025, and we are now building agentic AI in the ABAP context. However, it\u2019s early days and agentic AI still must prove itself in practice. As I see it, though, it will transform the market.<\/p>\n