Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence was the dominant topic at this year’s Companial Partner Day in Hamburg on May 7. As it was my first time attending the event, it also provided an interesting perspective on the current mood across the Microsoft partner ecosystem. The discussions went far beyond technological possibilities, focusing as well on uncertainty, responsibility, and the question of how businesses can adopt AI in a practical and meaningful way.
Between Opportunity and Uncertainty
One thing was clear throughout the event: while many partners are actively exploring AI, there is still a degree of uncertainty about where it is heading. Everyone agrees that technologies such as AI, copilots, and agents will play an important role going forward. At the same time, no one can say with confidence exactly what the landscape will look like in a few years. I was particularly interested in the legal perspective. One session focused on questions of responsibility and liability. In practical terms: what happens when an AI agent takes an action that leads to a problem? Who is ultimately accountable? These are especially important questions in ERP environments, where business-critical processes are involved. As of today, many of these issues remain unresolved.
AI Requires More Than Just New Tools
One point came up repeatedly in conversations throughout the event: companies should not simply roll out AI and hope that people will figure it out on their own.
Another point that came up repeatedly was that employees need guidance when it comes to working with AI. Successful adoption requires more than access to new tools. Companies need clear strategies, practical guidelines, and shared standards for how AI should be used. Without them, everyone develops their own approach, and the quality and consistency of the results can vary significantly. I also find myself approaching certain topics with caution. For example, when it comes to entering internal documents or sensitive information into AI systems, questions around data handling and security naturally arise. What happens to that data once it has been entered? This is a concern that many businesses are likely grappling with right now. That is exactly why I believe organizations need to approach AI proactively and with a clear structure, rather than treating it as just another technology trend.
AI Enablement at OTE
An important initiative came directly from the Companial ecosystem. Together with a specialized partner from the Netherlands, AI workshops are being offered to help companies take a structured approach to getting started with AI. At OTE, we have already decided to begin this enablement process at the C-level. Our goal is to first develop a better understanding of how we want to work with AI and which strategic topics will become relevant. One thing also became clear during the Partner Day: companies that want to use AI effectively must first understand how it will change processes, roles, and collaboration.
Agents effectively operate like users.
Alongside the strategic discussions, the Partner Day also offered plenty of technical insights. One topic I found particularly interesting was the distinction between traditional Copilot capabilities and so-called agents. I hadn’t realized before that agents effectively operate like real users. They require a role center, need permissions, and actually move through the system just like a user would. For ERP systems such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, this opens up entirely new possibilities. At the same time, it highlights how important well-structured permission models and clearly defined processes will become in the future.
Collaboration Over Competition
Beyond the technical topics, what stood out most to me was the atmosphere. Both the partners and Companial itself were very open and genuinely interested in exchanging experiences. The focus was not on outperforming one another, but on discussing challenges, sharing experiences, and exploring possible solutions together. Especially with a topic like AI, where no one has all the answers yet, I see this kind of exchange as incredibly valuable.
My Takeaways
The Companial Partner Day 2026 reinforced just how much AI is already transforming the ERP landscape. At the same time, it became clear that this is about far more than technology alone. Guidance, responsibility, and a thoughtful approach to these new possibilities are just as important. That is one of the reasons why AI will remain an important topic for a long time to come. Personally, I came away from Hamburg with plenty of valuable insights — from technical and strategic perspectives, as well as through conversations with other partners. And yes, I would definitely attend again. Assuming the date does not once again clash with a EuroLeague semi-final involving Freiburg. 😉
