The technology radar July 2026 It sends a signal that’s impossible to ignore: AI agents are already in production, but the governance that was supposed to accompany them has been slow to materialize. This week, while Gartner confirms that agent-based AI (72%) is already operating in real-world environments, a study by SAP acknowledges that control structures aren’t keeping pace. Below are the most relevant trends in SAP, operational excellence, digital transformation, AgTech, and applied AI, filtered by their actual impact on the business.
1. SAP News on the Technology Radar July 2026
SAP publishes Q2 and H1 2026 results [Alto]
SAP presented its second-quarter results on July 23rd, focusing on accelerated cloud migration and the growth of its cloud backlog. For companies, this is a clear signal that the SAP ecosystem is increasingly prioritizing a cloud-first model. This directly influences the architectural and budget decisions of those still operating on-premise. Postponing the cloud conversation is no longer neutral; it has a competitive cost. If you lead an SAP environment, review our guide on How to not fail when implementing SAP.
SAP completes acquisition of Prior Labs [Medium]
On July 17, SAP finalized its acquisition of Prior Labs, strengthening its capabilities in artificial intelligence applied to enterprise data. The consolidation of specialized providers within SAP accelerates the incorporation of native AI into the platform. For the customer, this reduces reliance on third-party integrations for analytical use cases. The strategic takeaway: AI is no longer a standalone module but is becoming an integral part of the ERP core.
July Patch Tuesday: 20 Patches and a Critical Vulnerability in NetWeaver [Alto]
SAP released 20 security patches on July 14th, including one for a critical memory corruption in NetWeaver Application Server ABAP. The window between release and exploitation is shortening every month. For any organization with SAP in production, disciplined patch management is no longer optional. Today, it's an operational continuity control as critical as a backup. Ignoring it means exposing the company's administrative heart.
Joule expands on S/4HANA Cloud and BTP Kyma [Medium]
The Joule copilot added new Business Partner entities, sales order status verification with visibility into supply blockages, and AI-powered assistance on the BTP Kyma Runtime dashboard. The AI embedded in the core reduces incident resolution time. It also brings analytics closer to the operational user without disrupting their workflow. It is a concrete example of AI that takes action, not just offers advice.
The SAP Business One roadmap points to AI at the core and a web client with TypeScript. [Alto]
The roadmap confirms three axes: AI integrated into core modules, a cloud-first architecture, and a redesigned, extensible web client with TypeScript. For industrial SMEs operating SAP B1, this anticipates profound modernization. It will impact customizations, integrations, and the technical profiles required in the coming cycles. It's advisable to plan now, not when migration becomes mandatory. Digital Ergonomics in SAP will be key in that transition.
Business Improvement on the Technological Radar July 2026
Operational excellence is redefined as AI-Powered [Alto]
The new standard is human-guided, AI-enabled operational excellence. Decisions are supported by insights, manual work is handled by AI, and teams gain real-time clarity. The fundamental shift is in roles: team value migrates from executing repetitive tasks to interpreting and deciding. Those who do not redesign roles will automate chaos instead of resolving it.
From Process Mining to Real-time Process Intelligence [Medium]
Companies are migrating from periodic process analysis to near real-time continuous monitoring. Continuous improvement stops being a quarterly project and becomes a permanent flow. This demands data governance and immediate actionability on detected deviations. Measuring is no longer enough: action must be taken while the process is happening, not after.
Process improvement goes from desirable to essential [Medium]
Process optimization is no longer an optional project; it has become a mandatory strategy. Companies that improve their processes outperform their competitors in efficiency, margins, and adaptability. The competitive edge is no longer solely in the product. It's in how it's delivered, week after week, without invisible friction.
The human-centric approach as a condition for sustainability Bass
In an environment of constant change, operational excellence must go beyond efficiency and standardization. Putting people at the center of transformation is what makes it sustainable. Automation frees up time from administrative tasks to reorient it towards higher-value contributions. It is a cultural shift as much as a technological one.
3. Digital Transformation: ROI at the Center of the Technology Radar July 2026
2026, the year to demonstrate AI's ROI [Alto]
AI budgets are growing, but the return on investment is under scrutiny. Companies are demanding to know what they're getting for their investments. The conversation has shifted from technological adoption to generating measurable results. Leaders who can't quantify the impact are exposed in the next budget review. The era of the eternal pilot is over.
Autonomous flows are becoming the default standard [Alto]
Agentic automation is redrawing the business map. Organizations that relied on fragmented tools are building seamless, self-optimizing operations with AI agents. The question is no longer about capability but about control. It favors strategists who anchor their automation in governance and trust, not those solely pursuing speed. We already warned about this in the March radar on agentic AI.
87% acknowledges that poor data quality is holding back its digital initiatives [Alto]
Although the databases are more robust, only the 30% reports significant improvements in quality and reliability. The 87% acknowledges that poor-quality data hinders value creation. The message to management is clear: without data governance, any investment in AI will underperform. The foundation matters more than the algorithm.
Digital leaders integrate transformation as a strategic pillar [Medium]
Digital leaders are 2.5 times more likely to incorporate transformation as a central pillar of their business strategy. They don't treat it as an isolated IT project. The difference isn't technological but in positioning: understanding digital as strategy, not operational expense. That's where those who lead separate themselves from those who react.
4. AgTech and Agribusiness Processes
Investment in precision agriculture using AI and IoT will exceed US$1.493 trillion [Alto]
Investment in AI and IoT-driven precision farming will surpass $9.3 billion by the end of 2026. This follows over $15 billion invested in the sector during 2025. For the agribusiness industry, technology is no longer a marginal experiment. It has become a business category with measurable returns and a concrete competitive advantage.
The real-time connected farm ecosystem [Medium]
A central trend is the real-time connected farm ecosystem. It combines IoT sensors, ear tags, satellite, drones, and edge analytics. The agricultural IoT market is projected to double by 2030, driven by the demand for efficiency, traceability, and sustainability. The agro-industrial production chain is beginning to operate with the same data logic as a manufacturing plant.
Robotics specializes by crop. [Medium]
Robotics is integrating more deeply with the rest of the AgTech stack: variable rate systems, AI-powered scouting tools, and real-time sensing. It is also specializing for orchards, vineyards, high-value vegetables, and row crops. Automation is no longer generic but adapting to the reality of each operation. It is applied precision, not a brochure promise.
Accelerated consolidation via mergers and acquisitions Bass
Established agribusinesses, equipment manufacturers, and digital giants are acquiring automation, sensor, and analytics startups. This accelerates industry consolidation. The integration of hardware, software, and data becomes a prerequisite for offering complete digital agriculture platforms. Those who do not integrate are relegated to providing individual pieces of someone else's puzzle.
5. Applied AI in Business: The Tech Radar Axis, July 2026
Gartner: By the end of the year, 40% of enterprise applications will have AI agents [Alto]
Gartner projects that 40% of enterprise applications will incorporate AI agents by the end of 2026, with 72% of agent-based AI already in production. The dominant risk is no longer being left behind. It is now entering the market without proper control. The speed of adoption has outpaced the maturity of governance, and that gap is the real story of the year.
Ushur Launches End-to-End Agent Platform [Medium]
On July 22nd, Ushur launched its Agentic Platform, designed to run agents that complete end-to-end customer journeys, not just initiate them. The competitive differentiator is shifting from assisting the user to autonomously resolving the entire process. The impact on service costs is direct. Customer service is entering its agentic phase.
Industrial AI Agents: From CAD to Process, Scheduling, and Quality Control [Medium]
Black Lake Technologies demonstrated industrial AI agents at WAIC: from CAD to process, order decomposition, scheduling, and quality inspection. Agentic AI lands in manufacturing with concrete use cases. It's no longer limited to the office: it touches production planning and control. This is precisely the arena where an industrial company gains or loses margin.
Agent governance is the new cybersecurity [Alto]
With most agents already in production, governance becomes the new security front. Codenotary launched AgentMon 3, which learns from agent behavior to adapt security policies at runtime. Deploying agents without observability or control is a top-tier operational risk today. Trust without verification is a vulnerability, not a virtue.
Conclusion: The 3 Strategic Signals of the Week
AI agents are already in production, but governance arrived late. With a 72% agent-based AI operating in real-world environments and a study by SAP acknowledging that control is lacking, the opportunity lies not in deploying more agents, but in governing them through observability and runtime policies.
2. 2026 is the year of ROI and data governance. With AI budgets under scrutiny and an 87% acknowledging that poor data quality hinders value, the fundamentals are back in the spotlight. Without reliable data, any agent-based initiative underperforms.
The advantage is gained by operating better, not just by having better technology. From SAP Business One with AI at its core to industrial CAD agents for processes and AgTech that executes, the pattern is the same: AI that does, not that advises. As we analyzed in the May radar, the technology it produces is what matters.
The uncomfortable question left by the July 2026 technology radar: Is your organization deploying AI agents with the same rigor of governance as it manages its finances, or is it releasing them into production and hoping for the best? This week, that answer defines who leads and who merely follows.
The July 2026 incident put numbers to that risk: I analyzed it in 198 Impossible Tasks: The Risk of Autonomous Agents is Born in Your Goals, Not Your Firewall.
