Importance of Technology Integration

Why Your Main AI Strategy Should Be Data Connectivity: in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, the ability to remain distinct and competitive hinges on an unexpected factor: how interconnected your data is. Think of your organisation as a living entity—its survival depends on a well-defined information boundary, which functions like a semi-permeable membrane. Karl Friston's Free Energy Principle (FEP) models this boundary as a Markov Blanket and says that to sustain itself, a system must minimise its free energy. Free energy is essentially a measure of surprise or uncertainty, and minimising it equates to maintaining a state of low internal entropy. A system achieves this by forming accurate predictions about the external environment and updating its internal states accordingly, thus allowing for a dynamic yet stable interaction with its surroundings. All of this is only possible because the Markov Blanket delineates a boundary between internal and external systems. The versatility of the FEP is remarkable, spanning various scales. Chris Fields' application to quantum mechanics, suggests that an entangled quantum system maintains a distinct information boundary, that is only loosely coupled to its environment. An entangled quantum system is a distinct system. The implication is potent: the more interconnected the system's components, the stronger the boundary and thus the more pronounced its individual identity. ⚡The degree of your internal connectivity equates to how distinct you are⚡ Upon scaling this concept to an organisational level, we face a sobering reality. Often, our data is siloed and disconnected, lacking any unifying structure, common vocabulary, or shared semantics. Disconnected systems signal weak boundaries. The lower the data connectivity, the less distinct you are as a whole. Your organisation will unintentionally leak subtle information across its boundary. This did not matter before, but advanced AIs, with their ever-increasing sophistication, will penetrate these overly porous boundaries, and your organisation will begin to dissipate. The good news is that we all possess the means to reinforce our data connectivity. Shared ontologies and URLs as universal identifiers are ready to be deployed, and AI itself can be leveraged to manage the formidable task of achieving comprehensive organisational data integration. The progress in AI is not just hype; it is very real, but amidst the dazzle of new AI algorithms, I propose a strategic pivot—focus on the unglamorous yet critical task of data integration. Use shared semantics and URLs to make your data cohesive and thus protect your independent identity. The best time to begin integrating your data this way was two decades ago—but the next best time is now! ⭕ Embrace Complexity: https://lnkd.in/eE7fvv3S ⭕ FEP: https://lnkd.in/eSJ3bSFe ⭕ Chris Fields: https://lnkd.in/eG3Kzun2

Most insurance companies don’t have a product problem. They have a 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦. Trouble shows up early for customers… and late for leadership. McKinsey’s 2025 analysis shows that only a small fraction of insurers capture meaningful value from AI and the reason isn’t model quality. It’s because 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬 across underwriting, claims, support, and policy servicing. Another study highlights that predictive analytics when actually integrated can reduce loss ratios, speed up claims, and improve risk accuracy. But most insurers never reach that stage because their systems can’t surface early patterns. So what happens? A spike in confusion calls. Customers misusing features. Renewal expectations not matching policy reality. Claim friction rising quietly for weeks. By the time these signals hit dashboards, the damage is already in motion: lower NPS, rising churn, operational load, regulatory exposure. This is why insurance needs an 𝐈𝐂𝐔 - 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭. A team that: 1. Connects disparate data into a single, queryable layer. 2. Builds early-warning models for churn, fraud, sentiment, and claims delay. 3. Flags mismatches between expectation and experience in real time. 4. Routes insights directly into underwriting, ops, and customer teams. When insights arrive early, transformation doesn’t arrive late. And in insurance, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐧. #InsuranceIndustry #DataAnalytics #CustomerExperience #PredictiveAnalytics

I'm back from the Salesforce #AgentforceTour in NYC and here are the top 3 things I learned: #sponsored 1. Canada Goose is showing what agentic retail actually looks like. Canada Goose used Agentforce Service to automate 89% of their routine service tasks. When a customer calls in, the agent already knows who she is and what order she's calling about based on her customer profile. Here's how they do it: Salesforce 360 connects all of the data (orders, preferences, history) so the agent can process the return, send the label to WhatsApp, and hand it off to a human stylist at EXACTLY the right moment. Voice-first, fully connected, and seamless. This is what makes the difference between a chatbot that answers questions and an agent that gets things done. The AI is connected to the ACTUAL data. 2. Agentforce Operations is a big deal. I sat in on a session with Sanjna Parulekar from Salesforce where she talked about the recent launch of Agentforce Operations. Instead of architecting an agent for an experience, you apply agents to an existing process. Teams are now empowered to actually fix workflows in the back office, finance ops, supply chain, and more. 3. Tokens are NOT always the right measure of value. Salesforce launched a new metric called "Agent Work Units" because you can burn a million tokens and create zero business outcome. Sometimes it makes sense for agents to skip the LLM entirely and just run the workflow. That's where the real efficiency and cost savings come in. At #AgentforceTour in NYC, one thing was clear: It's no longer humans vs. agents. It's humans collaborating WITH agents. #SalesforcePartner

🗞️ Just out! Latest from our NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence ! “Democratising Data Integration” 🔹Examines the need for standardised data integration and communication protocols in NATO’s strategic information environment. 🔹 Core argument : while advanced data processing tools exist, the lack of standardised integration protocols limits efficiency, security, and rapid decision-making. 🔹Highlights the challenges of fragmented data systems, interoperability issues, and inconsistent data-sharing methodologies across allied organisations. Key Challenges 1. Metadata Standardisation – Inconsistencies in metadata structures lead to misinterpretations and operational inefficiencies. 2. Security Classifications – Differing classification methods create access restrictions, limiting data-sharing effectiveness. 3. Institutional Divergence – NATO allies use various data-sharing protocols, impeding interoperability. 4. Technical Expertise Gaps – The shortage of skilled personnel slows the adoption of modern integration frameworks. 5. Resource Constraints – Budgetary limitations restrict the transition to scalable and secure data systems. 6. Privacy and Compliance Issues – Conflicting regulations (e.g., GDPR) create legal and operational barriers. Proposed Solutions 🔹The report proposes adopting standardised communication protocols to ensure seamless interoperability. Frameworks like Federated Mission Networking (FMN) and VAULTIS are highlighted as potential models for structured data sharing. AI-driven solutions, automated classification systems, and improved governance mechanisms are recommended to enhance operational efficiency. Standardisation would lead to: 🔹Improved Strategic Communications – Faster, more reliable data-driven decision-making. 🔹Operational Efficiency – Reduced manual processing, better crisis response. 🔹Cost-Effectiveness – Lower integration costs through streamlined interoperability.

Cross-border payments doubled over the past decade. The banks processing them declined by 50%. This isn't a story about winners and losers. It's about the equilibrium that emerges when coordination costs exceed private returns. Swipe through the carousel for the full breakdown. • Fintech innovation increased cross-border payment initiation. • Better UX, lower friction, more access to the front end. • But correspondent banking infrastructure retreated—not because of disruption, but because of cost structure. Why you might ask? • AML/CFT compliance carries fixed costs. Those costs are the same whether you process 100 transactions or 100,000. • High-volume corridors remain viable. Low-volume corridors don't cover the compliance overhead. The result is rational concentration. • Latin America: -50% correspondent relationships • Eastern Africa: -30% • Europe: -20% • US/Canada: 0% Every player is making economically rational decisions. The system produces concentration anyway. Why can't innovation solve this? • Because cross-border payments are two-sided markets across sovereign jurisdictions. • You need coordination between: payors, payees, two regulatory regimes, two currencies, two legal systems, two settlement windows. BIS research confirms: • Overcoming interoperability barriers increased domestic payment usage by 50%+ (India UPI). • But domestically, 90%+ of RTGS systems are owned/operated by central banks. Public sector coordination enabled that interoperability. Cross-border? No equivalent coordination mechanism exists. 100 fast payment systems operational. Most can't connect across borders. The infrastructure gap isn't technical. It's coordination. Private actors optimize for their network economics. Interoperability requires cross-border public infrastructure coordination. Until that coordination exists, the structural outcome is predictable: More payments hitting fewer rails. Geographic concentration. Capacity constraints in high-volume corridors. Access gaps in low-volume ones. This is the market equilibrium we've reached. The question is: what coordination mechanisms can shift it? Infrastructure beats innovation—not because innovation fails, but because infrastructure coordination is a public good problem. What coordination mechanisms do you see emerging? Drop your take in the comments 👇 Working on cross-border infrastructure? Repost this for your network. #Payments #CrossBorder #Infrastructure #Policy

Ukraines success on the battlefield is not only courage, motivation and determination - it is also about Data! The Ukrainian Delta is a, cloud-based, indigenous Ukrainian command-and-control (C2) and situational awareness system that integrates real-time intelligence from drones, satellites, sensors, and human intelligence on a single Google Maps-style, digital map. Developed by the Ministry of Defense and Aerorozvidka since 2021, it enables,NATO-interoperable battlefield management from tactical to strategic levels, and has been used for major operations, including the defense of Kyiv and strikes on the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Key Features and Capabilities Situational Awareness: Delta provides a comprehensive,,real-time, picture of the battlefield, allowing commanders to see enemy positions, movements, and friendly troop locations. Targeting: The system has an integrated AI-based module for automatic detection of enemy equipment, supporting the targeting of over 2,000 enemy objects daily. Platform Flexibility: Accessible via laptops, tablets, and mobile devices, it does not require specialized hardware. Interoperability: Designed to meet NATO standards, it enables joint operations and integrates with Western-provided intelligence. Scalability: Used across all levels of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, from individual,Brigades to high-level command. Operational Impact As of August 2025, the system was adopted across all branches of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. It has significantly reduced, the time required to strike targets, enhancing, operational, efficiency. The system also includes specialized modules such as, "Vezha," used for managing, unmanned, systems in maritime and land operations. #DefenseTechnology #MilitaryInnovation #CommandAndControl #BattlefieldManagement #SituationalAwareness #NATO #Ukraine Marijn Markus Roman Sheremeta Lars Raae Steen Kjærgaard Jacob Kaarsbo Carlo Lippold

Many operational problems do not originate in manufacturing, quality, or supply chain. They arise when functions fail to see themselves as part of the same system. Over time, teams excel at optimizing their own agendas: - Quality ensures oversight and protection - Procurement negotiates best prices - Manufacturing prioritises efficiency and throughput - Supply chain manages risk and focuses on customer interests - etc While these efforts are not wrong, when they are not integrated, the customer—and ultimately the patient—pays the price long before we do. Patrick Lencioni often reminds leaders that clarity and alignment triumph over complexity. Integrated operations are not about structure or organizational charts; they involve shared responsibility for creating positive impacts and outcomes that matter. When operations are integrated: - Attitudes and decisions change - Trade-offs become visible - Problems surface early - Teams stop defending gaps and start protecting outcomes This is why our extended roadmap under the 45° approach is significant. It compels us to deliver today while building the capabilities that enhance performance tomorrow. Integration is not merely a structural exercise; it is fundamentally a matter of leadership.

Watching the EPI and their pan‑European instant payment system Wero gradually gain momentum from afar has been very interesting.👇 Over the past few months, the EPI has welcomed several new members onto its platform, including a whole host of banks and payment providers in Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. This growth means that Wero now counts around 40 million registered users across all of these core markets. 💡 Core Features of Wero: ➡️ Peer‑to‑peer transfers (P2P): Send or request money using phone numbers or QR codes; payment requests can expire after 30 days. ➡️ Bank app integration: It may be accessed via participating banks’ apps or the standalone Wero app. ➡️ E‑commerce rollout: Wero has extended to online merchant payments. ➡️ POS payments, BNPL, subscriptions, loyalty and digital identity solutions are all planned. 💡 Why Does Wero Matter? ➡️ It aims to unify disparate national payment systems, replacing services like Giropay (Germany), Paylib (France), Payconiq (Belgium), and iDEAL (Netherlands). ➡️ It represents a push towards European payment sovereignty, reducing reliance on U.S. providers such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. ➡️ Adoption is growing and fast. 💡 Potential Cross-Border Challenges Ahead While the incremental expansion builds reliability and trust, operating across multiple European jurisdictions brings unique challenges: ➡️ Regulatory Debt. Differences in KYC, AML, and digital payments regulations across countries demand tailored compliance strategies. ➡️ Technical Fragmentation. Harmonising infrastructure (e.g., SEPA‑inst, TIPS) and ensuring seamless 10‑second A2A transfers across banks and countries is a complex feat. ➡️ User & Merchant Adoption. Beyond early adopters, widespread usage needs trusted experiences, interoperability with existing systems, and clear incentives. ➡️ Local Bank Integration. Each bank's tech stack and customer base differ, rolling out Wero demands bespoke app updates, training, and branding integration. ➡️ Competition & Scale. Wero competes not only with entrenched players like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, but also with national systems and emerging digital wallets. EPI must scale fast enough to stay relevant. ➡️ Interoperability Partnerships. Collaborations, like with EuroPA, are promising, but complex. Aligning timelines, tech standards, and governance is no small task. Wero’s carefully orchestrated rollout reflects EPI’s deliberate strategy, build a solid base, demonstrate reliability, then scale across borders. Each new member marks another step towards a common European solution. The vision is a trusted and interoperable system that works seamlessly across borders. Wero is not racing ahead, but building patiently, and perhaps that is what will give it staying power.

Security can’t be an afterthought - it must be built into the fabric of a product at every stage: design, development, deployment, and operation. I came across an interesting read in The Information on the risks from enterprise AI adoption. How do we do this at Glean? Our platform combines native security features with open data governance - providing up-to-date insights on data activity, identity, and permissions, making external security tools even more effective. Some other key steps and considerations: • Adopt modern security principles: Embrace zero trust models, apply the principle of least privilege, and shift-left by integrating security early. • Access controls: Implement strict authentication and adjust permissions dynamically to ensure users see only what they’re authorized to access. • Logging and audit trails: Maintain detailed, application-specific logs for user activity and security events to ensure compliance and visibility. • Customizable controls: Provide admins with tools to exclude specific data, documents, or sources from exposure to AI systems and other services. Security shouldn’t be a patchwork of bolted-on solutions. It needs to be embedded into every layer of a product, ensuring organizations remain compliant, resilient, and equipped to navigate evolving threats and regulatory demands.

"𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐢𝐧 2025 — 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐎𝐧…" 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕: Learning just classical ABAP in 2025 is like learning MS Paint when the world is using Figma. You’ll still get things done… but you’ll always be behind. So if I were starting as a new SAP ABAP developer in 2025, this is exactly what I’d focus on — step by step. 1️⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 — 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 Focus on ABAP 7.4+ syntax — inline declarations, expressions, constructor operators. Understand how FOR, REDUCE, FILTER make code clean and functional. Don’t waste time on WRITE: and TOP-OF-PAGE. 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 > 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 2️⃣ 𝐉𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐀𝐏 (𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥) RAP isn’t optional. It’s the future of SAP app development. Learn how to create: CDS-based data models Behavior definitions Fiori apps without writing a single line of UI5 Understand late numbering, draft-enabled apps, and managed vs unmanaged scenarios. 𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐒/4𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐓𝐏 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲. 3️⃣ 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐃𝐒 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 Learn how to: Expose data via CDS Use annotations for UI, analytics, OData Combine views using associations & joins Use VDM (Virtual Data Model) like a pro. 𝐂𝐃𝐒 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐬. 4️⃣ 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Learn OData V2 and V4 (you’ll need both) Understand how CPI, SAP Gateway, and API Management use your backend logic Practice building and consuming APIs — with Postman, CAP, or Integration Suite 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 — 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦. 5️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐲 Use ABAP Unit, Test Seams, and Test Classes Get into TDD mindset: write test cases first Learn how automated testing fits into CI/CD pipelines 𝐀 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬. 𝐀𝐧 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 6️⃣ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐁𝐓𝐏 (𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦) Even if you’re ABAP-core, you must understand: SAP Build Apps for no-code UI SAP Event Mesh & Workflow for process integration Deployment in clean-core environments 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐓𝐏, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐆𝐔𝐈. If you're starting out or restarting your SAP journey in 2025, don't build muscle memory on outdated tools. Build for where SAP is going — not where it came from. And if you're already in the game? 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭. ************ Be a part of my SAP Community : https://lnkd.in/gspu3-Fd