Summary
The BMW Group has introduced a GenAI platform used across its global operations with NTT DATA as their implementation partner.
Developed in partnership with expert teams from BMW IT Hubs and technology partners Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft, the platform serves as a central foundation for AI-driven innovation throughout the value chain — from IT and procurement to development.
This cloud-native solution enables the broad use of generative AI within business units and also empowers employees with-out technical backgrounds to create their own AI applications. By combining governance, data protection and user-friendly design, the platform makes AI accessible and secure for all.
Business need
Creating uniform standards for scalable GenAI applications
With the increasing maturity of generative AI technologies, a clear need emerged within the BMW Group: the extensive adoption and use of GenAI productively across the organization – for example, to optimize processes, develop new functions and products, or relieve administrative tasks. However, the successful use of such technologies would only be possible if data protection, transparency, and the prevention of shadow IT are fully addressed.
The objective was to establish a central platform that would serve as a single-entry point and control layer for all GenAI applications, providing flexible access to various Large Language Models (LLMs) and supporting Agentic AI scenarios. At the same time, the platform was required not only to define technological standards, but also to fully comply with all regulatory requirements.
Solution
Cloud-native platform for widespread, responsible GenAI use
As the implementation partner, NTT DATA supported the project through all phases – from architecture consulting and implementation to ongoing operations under a BizDevOps model.
The service portfolio includes implementation of new functional and technical requirements as well as consulting services to optimize the cloud architecture. A key aspect is the adaptation and extension of CI/CD pipelines to deliver new functionalities quickly, securely, and with high quality.
This ensures that the platform can be dynamically adapted and scaled globally – from integrating additional data sources to connecting further services and AI models, as well as evolving the platform towards an Agentic AI architecture.
With emphasis on data protection, IT security, and compliance; all regulatory requirements are consistently addressed through a guided compliance approach. Features such as data guardrails, role-based access controls, and dedicated operating environments further ensure globally compliant usage of the platform – with the exception of the United States and China, where separate instances are being established.
NTT DATA supports BMW Group’s business units in the design and implementation of GenAI applications and acts as a partner in co-creation.
To date, more than 9,000 apps have been created using the platform. In procurement, GenAI assistants support the fast, consistent, and compliant creation and analysis of tenders. In technical support, they help generate multilingual error messages. The GenAI platform now has over 60,000 active users who benefit from an easy entry into the world of AI, thanks to the central chat interface with natural language processing.
This GenAI platform is a result of the close collaboration between the BMW Group, BMW IT Hubs, NTT DATA, and cloud providers AWS and Azure. It demonstrates how AI innovations can be successfully integrated into a global enterprise environment through partnership-based development, clear governance, and scalable architecture.