SAP CEO: The End Is Near for the Keyboard
CIO, Thursday, September 17th, 2026
CIO reports SAP CEO Christian Klein expects voice and AI to replace most manual data entry within two to three years.
SAP chief executive Christian Klein told Fortune that the keyboard's role in the workplace will shrink dramatically, pointing to how quickly speech recognition in current large language models has improved.
Klein expects voice control and AI to replace much of the manual data entry in SAP's own systems within two to three years. He describes users speaking analytical questions, starting workflows and entering information rather than navigating transaction screens.
CIO reports the comments as a signal of where SAP intends to push its Joule assistant and its broader Business AI interface strategy.