Solution
Artificial Intelligence
Building a Smarter, Connected Tomorrow with AI-first and Agentic AI
Highlights
- Through its CORE program, Bayer is modernising its IT and process landscape, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and agentic AI embedded at the heart of the transformation.
- AI supports both the transformation itself and the design of more efficient business processes. An AI-led command centre orchestrates the interaction between generative and agentic AI solutions.
- The programme is already delivering tangible results, with a clear reduction in manual effort and a noticeable improvement in quality.
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What is Bayer CORE?
With CORE, Bayer has launched one of its largest initiatives to modernise its IT and process landscape. The company-wide rollout of SAP S/4HANA has laid the foundation for more efficient business processes. From the outset, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been on board as the strategic system integration partner.
What began as a programme to harmonise processes and data models has since evolved into something more ambitious: Artificial Intelligence (AI), including agentic AI, is now an integral part of the transformation.
A dual role for AI
For Jochen Kamp, who leads the S/4HANA implementation at Bayer from an IT perspective, AI in the CORE programme serves a dual purpose:
“For us, AI plays a dual role: it supports the transformation itself our developers and designers while also helping ensure that our future business processes are as efficient as possible through embedded AI.”
This dual role shapes key decisions within the CORE programme and determines where different technologies are applied,from traditional automation and generative AI to autonomous agents.
“That only works if we have strong, highly skilled teams working closely together,” Kamp emphasises.
Our long-term vision is an automation-first approach, where our business is supported by AI wherever possible to ensure highly efficient processes. As our main system integrator, TCS plays a key role in helping us progress from pilot projects to enterprise-wide operations.
Joining forces with TCS
This is where the partnership with TCS comes into play what Kamp describes as “a true team effort.”
The CORE programme leverages both generative and agentic AI, particularly in areas such as test case creation, code development, and incident resolution. Design review agents assess drafts and help improve outcomes.
At the centre of it all is an AI-led command centre.
“It truly sits at the heart of our AI initiative,” says Marco Bickel, who leads the Enabling Value Stream within the CORE programme. “It gives us transparency and deep insights into our landscape, providing the data we need to continuously refine our AI strategy.”
Bayer and TCS driving AI transformation
Measurable impact
The impact has become visible in a relatively short time.
In test case creation, the team has reduced manual effort by around one-third, while significantly increasing speed. AI-supported design reviews are improving quality, and developer productivity continues to rise.
Looking ahead, the main challenge is less about technology and more about adoption.
“One of our key challenges is driving adoption within the teams,” Bickel says.
To unlock its full potential across the organisation, these solutions must be widely embraced and connected into end-to-end agentic applications.
We’re seeing a significant reduction in effort for test case creation around one-third along with increased speed. At the same time, reviewing designs with our AI agents is clearly improving overall design quality.
Responsibility first
In a field as new and rapidly evolving as AI, governance, trust, and responsibility are according to Kamp “absolutely essential.”
Bayer has therefore developed its own platform based on Responsible AI principles to ensure safe and compliant use across the organisation. This provides the foundation for scaling solutions step by step from pilot projects to enterprise-wide deployment.
“It’s essential to bring together the best minds from all sides,” says Kamp.
That is exactly what the Bayer and TCS’ teams are doing, day by day.