Imagine an ERP system that not only records data but also interacts with you, learns from your business operations, and evolves as your company grows. With NetSuite Next, unveiled at SuiteConnect Dubai, Oracle NetSuite is placing artificial intelligence at the forefront, redefining how organizations approach enterprise resource planning.

During a detailed conversation, TECHx Media spoke with Nicky Tozer, SVP, EMEA, Oracle NetSuite, and James Chisham, VP, Product Management, Oracle NetSuite, who shared insights on AI integration, automation, and how businesses can leverage the platform to scale and innovate.

A Region Built for Rapid Innovation

The Middle East is uniquely positioned to embrace technological change, and NetSuite leadership described the region as enthusiastic, ambitious, and extremely agile in its adoption of advanced technology. Here, AI is not merely an add-on; it is increasingly embedded in everyday business processes, from finance and operations to inventory management and analytics. This creates a fertile environment for technology providers looking to innovate quickly and see immediate impact.

NetSuite’s expansion in this market underscores its strategic importance. The company hosts two of its SuiteConnect events in the EMEA region – in London and Dubai – reflecting both the size and engagement of its customer base. Over the past year, NetSuite has added more than 2,000 customers worldwide, signaling sustained momentum and growth potential. The conversation emphasized that the pace at which organizations in this region adopt technology enables rapid scaling and implementation of innovative solutions.

From System of Record to System of Intelligence

Traditionally, ERP has been viewed as a back-office system, primarily serving as a ledger for financial and operational data. NetSuite leadership explained that this perception is shifting as AI becomes more deeply embedded in ERP systems. NetSuite Next is designed to function not just as a system of record but also as a system of intelligence, capable of generating analytics, insights, and autonomous workflows that streamline and optimize business operations.

Executives highlighted that while automation and AI enhance ERP capabilities, there remains an essential need for a reliable centralized record. NetSuite Next integrates AI to reduce manual work, provide better visibility, and support faster, more informed decision-making, making it one of the most significant updates in the platform’s 28-year history.

One Platform, Fewer Systems, Better Decisions

One of the core advantages of NetSuite is its unified business platform, which reduces the reliance on multiple disconnected applications. Executives explained that small and medium-sized businesses benefit particularly from centralizing finance, operations, inventory, and other functions within a single system. This centralization enhances the quality of data, strengthens AI-driven insights, and reduces the operational risks and costs associated with managing a complex network of separate applications.

NetSuite’s approach enables companies to avoid what the executives described as the “hairball” of integrated systems that are difficult to manage. While industry-specific tools may still exist, the platform minimizes unnecessary complexity, providing a clean, unified foundation that scales with the business.

NetSuite and Fusion: Different Customers, Shared Foundations

NetSuite and Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP serve different market segments. NetSuite primarily caters to startups, scale-ups, and small to medium-sized enterprises, while Fusion targets large enterprises with complex operational needs. This distinction is largely commercial rather than technological, as both platforms leverage the same underlying Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

Executives emphasized that NetSuite is designed to grow with businesses. Startups often adopt NetSuite early to avoid the need for future migrations, enabling them to scale efficiently without significant disruption. Despite serving smaller enterprises, NetSuite provides access to advanced technology and capabilities typically associated with large enterprise systems.

Built on Oracle: The Technology Backbone

NetSuite is architected on the same robust and scalable Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and Autonomous Database as Oracle Fusion. Collaboration between Oracle and NetSuite product teams has been instrumental in accelerating AI adoption within NetSuite, particularly through innovations such as Ask Oracle and the Redwood Design System.

These initiatives have allowed NetSuite to integrate AI and modernize its user interface rapidly, giving customers access to enterprise-grade technology even at a smaller scale. This technology foundation ensures consistent performance across regions and user bases.

Measuring Impact: How NetSuite Next Will Be Evaluated

TECHx Media explored how Oracle NetSuite plans to evaluate the success of NetSuite Next. Executives explained that assessment will rely heavily on early customer adoption, feedback, and interaction with AI-driven features. Since no two customers operate identically, success must be measured across a diverse set of real-world business scenarios.

Features like AI suggestions and interactive feedback tools, including thumbs-up and thumbs-down indicators, allow for rapid iteration and refinement. Customers can trace AI outputs back to the original transactions and review the algorithms used, ensuring transparency, trust, and accountability in every decision the system supports.

Ask Oracle and the Rise of Conversational ERP

Conversational AI is redefining how users engage with ERP systems. Through Ask Oracle, employees will be able to pose natural language queries to NetSuite, obtaining real-time operational insights without relying solely on traditional dashboards. This approach dramatically reduces training time, enables multilingual support, and creates a more intuitive, modern experience that resonates with younger talent entering the workforce.

Executives emphasized that the conversational interface improves efficiency and user satisfaction, making it easier for teams to access insights and act on them quickly. The system’s AI capabilities are powered by unified data, further enhancing decision-making across organizations.

Scaling Across Borders and Languages

NetSuite has operations in 12 countries in EMEA, serving customers across 106 nations. The platform supports geographic expansion through extensive tax compliance and multilingual functionality, enabling businesses to scale internationally without compromising operational consistency.

The company maintains a combination of direct offices and channel partners to ensure coverage across all regions. NetSuite continues to grow its customer base among startups, scale-ups, and SMEs, across multiple industries, facilitating international expansion and operational agility.

Sovereign Data, Security, and Responsible AI

Executives highlighted that customer data remains fully proprietary, never used to train external AI models, and is secured through NetSuite’s robust framework. AI assistants operate within clearly defined roles, permissions, and authentication structures, maintaining data integrity, security, and auditability.

MCP servers hosted internally further enhance safety, ensuring AI-driven interactions comply with stringent governance protocols. These measures allow companies to adopt AI confidently while respecting regulatory and compliance requirements.

Human Judgment at the Core of Automation

NetSuite emphasizes human oversight in AI workflows, maintaining a “human-in-the-loop” model. Users can review and intervene in automated processes, particularly in exception handling and final decision-making. This ensures trust, accountability, and transparency, particularly in sensitive areas such as finance and operations.

Executives stressed that while AI can accelerate tasks and provide guidance, ultimate responsibility and approval remain with the business leadership, supporting reliable and informed decision-making.

Automation, Insight, and Business Agility

Finally, NetSuite Next focuses on three key pillars: automation, insight, and agility. The platform reduces time spent on repetitive manual tasks, freeing professionals to focus on data-driven insights and strategic decisions. By combining efficiency with actionable intelligence, NetSuite empowers organizations to respond quickly to market changes, innovate confidently, and scale effectively, reinforcing its role as a next-generation ERP platform for the AI era.

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