Kyndryl establishes SAP Center of Excellence to accelerate agentic AI-driven transformation for customers

Rhea-AI Summary

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) on January 27, 2026 announced an SAP Transformations Center of Excellence (CoE) to help customers co-create agentic AI-driven SAP modernizations. The CoE comprises over 500 dedicated Kyndryl professionals and pairs Kyndryl's Agentic AI Framework with Nova Intelligence and SAP technologies to speed migrations and clean custom code.

Key CoE elements include a Clean Field approach for ECC to S/4HANA moves, a Clean Core path for S/4HANA customers, use of SAP Business Data Cloud integrated with Databricks for AI training, and expanded services for RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. Kyndryl cited a customer case where AI agents helped achieve 100% Clean Core compliance and reduced project time and labor.

Positive

• 500+ dedicated professionals assigned to the SAP Center of Excellence
• Clean Field approach to accelerate ECC to S/4HANA migrations
• 100% Clean Core compliance achieved for a referenced customer using AI agents
• SAP Business Data Cloud integration with Databricks for AI training and trusted data

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

-2.54%

1 alert

-2.54% News Effect

On the day this news was published, KD declined 2.54%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

SAP CoE professionals: over 500 Clean Core compliance: 100% Clean Core

2 metrics

SAP CoE professionals over 500 Dedicated Kyndryl professionals in SAP Center of Excellence

Clean Core compliance 100% Clean Core Target compliance for Austrian industrial food company’s SAP S/4HANA transformation

Market Reality Check

Price: $12.12 Vol: Volume 2051800 is 1.08x t...

normal vol

$12.12 Last Close

Volume Volume 2051800 is 1.08x the 20-day average of 1905599, indicating slightly elevated trading interest pre-news. normal

Technical Shares at 24.45 are trading below the 200-day MA of 32.06 and well under the 44.2 52-week high, closer to the 23.28 52-week low.

Peers on Argus

Peer moves are mixed: G at -1.09%, PSN at -3.74%, EPAM and EXLS modestly positiv...

Peer moves are mixed: G at -1.09%, PSN at -3.74%, EPAM and EXLS modestly positive, and GDS up 9.12%. This dispersion suggests KD’s AI-focused SAP announcement is more stock-specific than a broad sector rotation.

Previous AI Reports

5 past events · Latest: Jan 21 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 21	SAP AI approach	Positive	+1.1%	Introduced Clean Field agentic AI approach for SAP ECC to S/4HANA migration.
Jan 13	AI collaboration	Positive	-1.1%	Announced IntelliMake AI manufacturing collaboration with Wayne State University.
Jan 12	AI retail report	Positive	+0.3%	Published 2025 Retail Readiness Report highlighting AI and omnichannel trends.
Dec 16	AI leadership rating	Positive	-0.1%	Named Leader in ISG Insurance Services report for agentic and generative AI.
Nov 24	AI mainframe launch	Positive	-0.6%	Launched Agentic AI Framework and services for IBM z/OS mainframe environments.

Pattern Detected

AI-related announcements have produced small average moves around 0.64%, with a slight tendency toward negative reactions despite generally positive AI narratives.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, Kyndryl has repeatedly highlighted its Agentic AI capabilities, including the Nov 24, 2025 launch of agentic AI services for mainframes and a Dec 16, 2025 leadership designation in an ISG Insurance Services report. In Jan 2026, it released an AI-focused retail readiness report and announced an AI manufacturing collaboration with Wayne State University. The Jan 21, 2026 Clean Field approach for SAP modernization closely precedes today’s SAP Center of Excellence news, which extends this AI-driven SAP modernization theme.

Historical Comparison

AI

+0.6 %

Average Historical Move

Historical Analysis

In the last five AI-tagged releases, KD’s average 24h move was 0.64%, with both positive and negative reactions, suggesting modest, mixed responses to AI announcements like today’s SAP CoE launch.

Typical Pattern

AI-tagged news shows a progression from launching the Agentic AI Framework and mainframe services to winning external recognition and rolling out domain-specific applications in insurance, retail, manufacturing, and now SAP modernization.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement deepens Kyndryl’s AI-driven SAP modernization push by formalizing a SAP Transforma...

Analysis

This announcement deepens Kyndryl’s AI-driven SAP modernization push by formalizing a SAP Transformations Center of Excellence with over 500 dedicated professionals and a focus on Clean Field and Clean Core approaches. It builds directly on the recent Clean Field launch and existing SAP partnership. In context of prior AI initiatives across mainframes, insurance, retail, and manufacturing, investors may watch adoption of the SAP CoE offerings and subsequent customer wins as key proof points.

Key Terms

agentic AI, SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC, SAP Business Data Cloud, +2 more

6 terms

agentic AI technical

"the power of the Kyndryl Agentic AI Framework to speed customers' transformations"

Agentic AI refers to computer systems that can make their own decisions and take actions without needing someone to tell them what to do each time. It's like giving a robot a degree of independence to solve problems or achieve goals on its own, which matters because it could change how we work and interact with technology in everyday life.

SAP S/4HANA technical

"accelerate and simplify SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA transformations, reducing technical debt"

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform that combines core business functions—such as finance, supply chain, sales and manufacturing—into one software system and processes data much faster than older systems by using a modern, memory-based database. Investors care because adopting or upgrading to this platform can change a company’s costs, speed of operations and ability to scale, affect recurring software or cloud spending, and influence competitiveness and future revenue growth.

SAP ECC technical

"accelerate and simplify SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA transformations, reducing technical debt"

SAP ECC is the enterprise software that acts like a company’s back-office brain, running core functions such as accounting, payroll, inventory and order processing all in one system. Investors care because this software affects how efficiently a business operates, the costs and risks of upgrades or migrations, and how quickly a company can scale or respond to market changes — similar to how a well-organized kitchen speeds up meal service.

SAP Business Data Cloud technical

"Kyndryl is leveraging SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) to unify enterprise data"

SAP Business Data Cloud is a cloud-based platform that gathers, standardizes and serves a company’s business data from many sources so applications and analysts can use one consistent version of the truth. Think of it as a central, always-updated filing cabinet and translator for data that helps managers make faster, more reliable decisions; investors care because better data management can lower costs, speed product development, boost recurring software revenue and reduce operational risk.

Databricks technical

"integrate with Databricks for AI training, and provide a trusted foundation"

Databricks is a software firm that offers a cloud-based platform for gathering, cleaning, analyzing large volumes of data and training AI models — like a modern kitchen where raw ingredients (data) are prepared and cooked into useful dishes (insights and predictions). It matters to investors because companies use the platform to make faster decisions, develop AI-driven products and streamline operations, which can increase recurring revenue and affect growth and profitability.

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition technical

"deliver SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition services, helping organizations accelerate"

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition is a hosted version of enterprise resource planning software that runs in a dedicated, cloud-based environment for a single organization, combining core business functions like accounting, supply chain and sales with fast, real-time data processing. It matters to investors because it represents a steady, subscription-style revenue stream and helps customers modernize operations with the control and security of a private setup—like renting a customized, secure office in a business park rather than sharing open coworking space—potentially boosting customer retention and long-term growth.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

NEW YORK, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services, today unveiled the SAP Transformations Center of Excellence (CoE), a dedicated hub where customers can co-create with Kyndryl designers and engineers to unlock the full potential of AI to fuel their SAP transformations.

"With over 500 dedicated Kyndryl professionals, our SAP Center of Excellence combines our deep SAP expertise and the power of the Kyndryl Agentic AI Framework to speed customers' transformations. Our experts are guiding customers in applying AI to break through SAP modernization barriers, accelerate transformation and build resilient digital foundations that position them for long-term growth," said Michael Bradshaw, Global Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl.

Within the CoE, customers will collaborate with Kyndryl's experts to design, develop and deliver SAP solutions at scale using:

• Clean Field approach – Kyndryl is leveraging Nova Intelligence AI agents and its own Data Transformation Suite in its Clean Field approach to accelerate and simplify SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA transformations, reducing technical debt and enabling customers to achieve faster, more cost-effective SAP modernizations with a clean core that can better support the adoption of new business capabilities at scale.
• Clean Core – Kyndryl is collaborating with Nova Intelligence to provide an agentic AI and data-driven modernization journey to customers already on SAP S4/HANA and seek to modernize their custom code faster and more economically to adopt new capabilities.
• SAP Business Data Cloud – Kyndryl is leveraging SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) to unify enterprise data, integrate with Databricks for AI training, and provide a trusted foundation for scalable, responsible AI that delivers rapid business impact.
• Journey to RISE with SAP – Kyndryl expanded its SAP partnership to deliver SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition services, helping organizations accelerate cloud migration, modernize SAP environments, and build a strong foundation for scaling AI.

Kyndryl supported a leading Austrian industrial food company in its transformation from ECC to SAP S/4HANA by applying the new Clean Field approach. Through its collaboration with Nova Intelligence, Kyndryl deployed AI agents to accelerate the company's journey not only to SAP S/4HANA but also toward achieving 100% Clean Core compliance. This approach reduced project duration and labor required, while also delivering a modern, future‑ready platform.

Applying its Agentic AI Framework, Kyndryl can seamlessly integrate AI solutions into customers' selected platforms, like SAP, to drive adoption at scale and business impact.

Kyndryl's SAP CoE builds on its longstanding strategic partnership with SAP and recent recognition as a global RISE with SAP delivery partner. Visit Kyndryl's transformation services for SAP to learn more.

About Kyndryl

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services, offering advisory, implementation and managed service capabilities to thousands of customers in more than 60 countries. As the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider, the company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com.

Kyndryl Press Contact

Press@kyndryl.com 

 

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SOURCE Kyndryl

FAQ

What did Kyndryl (KD) announce on January 27, 2026 about SAP services?

Kyndryl announced an SAP Transformations Center of Excellence staffed with over 500 professionals to accelerate AI-driven SAP modernizations.

How does Kyndryl's Clean Field approach affect SAP ECC to S/4HANA migrations for KD customers?

The Clean Field approach uses Nova Intelligence AI agents and Kyndryl's Data Transformation Suite to simplify ECC to S/4HANA moves and reduce technical debt.

What role does SAP Business Data Cloud play in Kyndryl's SAP CoE (KD)?

SAP Business Data Cloud is used to unify enterprise data and integrate with Databricks for AI training to provide a trusted foundation for scalable AI.

What evidence did Kyndryl (KD) provide of CoE results for customers?

Kyndryl cited a transformation for an Austrian industrial food company where AI agents helped reach 100% Clean Core compliance and reduced project duration and labor.

Will Kyndryl's SAP CoE (KD) support RISE with SAP customers?

Yes; Kyndryl expanded its SAP partnership to deliver RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition services to accelerate cloud migration and modernization.