SAP Concur Taps AI to Tighten Its Grip on Travel Expenses

SAP Concur is hoping that artificial intelligence can help it maintain its dominant share in the travel expense management market as it faces intensifying competition from well-funded rivals.

The German software company, whose SAP Concur products control an estimated 50% of the corporate travel and expense management market, are rolling out a few AI-based updates that executives said would simplify business travel booking and expensing.

This month, a few early adopter companies began testing a so-called AI booking agent, with general availability for all customers planned for the fourth quarter. Whether the tool will deliver on promises to make expense management "practically manage itself" or join the ranks of enterprise AI features that have struggled with real-world adoption remains to be seen.

The AI Push

The company said its new AI "booking agent" allows travelers to type requests like "book me a flight to Paris on Tuesday morning" and rec