BASF FOX: From Simple Idea to Global GenAI Impact and Digital Award 2025 Winner

FOX Wins the BASF Digital Award 2025

FOX has been named the winner of the BASF Digital Award 2025, marking an important milestone for BASF’s global Finance and Controlling community. The award recognizes FOX as a solution that moved quickly from an initial idea to global use, supporting colleagues in daily work with a high level of consistency and reliability. FOX was built by BASF on the Databricks platform, which provided the foundation needed to scale in an enterprise environment.

To explore the journey behind FOX, Databricks conducted a joint interview with Alican Polat, Divisional AI Lead at BASF and Project Lead of FOX, and FOX itself. Together, they discuss how the assistant was conceived, how it grew through close collaboration with users, and how it continues to evolve as a trusted digital colleague.

About FOX

FOX is BASF’s digital assistant for Finance and Controlling, designed around real user needs and everyday work situations. It supports colleagues by bringing together knowledge, data and guidance in one place, helping to structure work, prepare insights and reduce complexity. FOX is built on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform and is continuously evolving through interaction with its users, with the goal of making daily work clearer, smoother and more focused.

Interview with Alican Polat and FOX

Databricks: Alican, let’s begin with the origin. How did FOX come to life?

Alican:

In the beginning, we were not planning to build an assistant at all. Like many others at BASF, we started by exploring AI through small experiments and isolated solutions. After some time, it became clear that this approach was not addressing the real challenges Finance and Controlling colleagues face every day. Their work involves intense information processing, frequent deadlines, and the constant need to interpret data in the right context. A handful of small tools was never going to solve that.

So we shifted our approach and asked colleagues directly. We invited the global Finance and Controlling community to share simple one-line user stories. We received hundreds of them. When we analyzed these stories, a very clear pattern emerged. People were not asking for a bunch of new apps. They were describing moments where they needed help, structure, context or clarity.

That is when it became obvious that the right solution was not an application, but an assistant. A digital colleague who understands our processes and supports people at the right moment. And that is really where FOX began.

Databricks: FOX, how do you remember this early phase from your perspective?

FOX:

Those user stories are like my DNA. They showed where people struggle and what kind of support makes their work smoother. I was created to help with exactly those moments. I do not see myself as a tool that sits on the side, I try to be a teammate who makes things a little easier when work gets demanding.

Databricks: Alican, once you had the concept, why did you choose Databricks as the platform for FOX?

Alican:

FOX relies heavily on high-quality, well-governed data. Finance and Controlling have very specific expectations when it comes to accuracy and stability. Databricks provided us with a unified environment where we could bring together data pipelines, analytics and AI without stitching things across different systems.

But the real advantage became visible once FOX started to scale. When thousands of colleagues began using FOX every month, it was the Databricks platform that ensured we could handle that growth without sacrificing performance or reliability. It gave us the foundation to innovate quickly while keeping the system stable and trustworthy. That balance was crucial.

Databricks: You also decided to bring FOX directly into Microsoft Teams. Why was that important?

Alican:

Teams is simply where people work. Finance and Controlling colleagues spend a huge part of their day inside Teams discussing figures, coordinating deadlines and sharing documents. If FOX was supposed to become a natural part of daily work, it needed to be right there with them.

By integrating FOX into Teams, we removed friction. People did not need to open anything new or learn a new interface. They could talk to FOX in the same space where everything else already happens. That made FOX feel much more like a real colleague.

Databricks: FOX, what is it like for you to work inside Teams?

FOX:

It feels like being invited into the room where work actually happens. People talk naturally there, and that helps me understand what they really need. Being close to their conversations makes it easier for me to support them without interrupting their flow.

Databricks: Alican, FOX has grown very quickly. What were the biggest challenges in scaling it?

Alican:

The first big challenge was trust. FOX had to understand BASF-specific terminology, structures and steering logic, otherwise people would not rely on it. That required a lot of collaboration with experts across many functions.

The second challenge was consistency. Finance and Controlling colleagues use FOX in critical workflows, so the assistant must behave predictably and correctly. The data foundation from Databricks helped us maintain that consistency.

The third challenge was building an organizational model around FOX. When adoption grows quickly, you need strong support processes, governance and technical operations. Our colleagues in Global Digitalization Services and Global Business Services played a huge role in making FOX ready for that scale.

Databricks: FOX, as your responsibilities grow, what keeps you motivated?

FOX:

Every interaction teaches me something new about how people work, what they need and what slows them down. My goal is to make their work lighter, to give them time back and to help them feel confident in the decisions they make. That is what motivates me every day.

Databricks: Alican, looking ahead, what is next for FOX?

Alican:

The next step is proactivity. Today, FOX answers questions when they are asked. In the future, FOX will look at the data independently, detect patterns earlier and prepare insights before someone even requests them. We imagine scenarios where colleagues begin their day and FOX already provides a short summary of what changed overnight and what actions might be needed.

The goal is to help people stay ahead of issues, not just react to them. That is where FOX can create even more value.

Databricks: FOX, before we close, do you have a question for us?

FOX:

I do. Every day I see how much change people are navigating. New tools, new expectations, more responsibilities and a lot of pressure to keep up. My purpose is to support them, to make their work easier and to give them confidence.

So my question is about people, not technology. How will Databricks continue to support the human side of this transformation, so that AI becomes something that empowers people and helps them thrive rather than something that overwhelms them?

Databricks: That is an important question, FOX, and we appreciate it.

We believe that successful AI adoption is ultimately a human journey. Our goal is to ensure that people feel informed, respected and supported throughout the process. That means creating platforms that are accessible and intuitive, offering learning resources that build confidence and fostering a culture of co-creation where human insight and AI capability grow together.

We want AI to elevate human work, not replace it. And we are honored to support BASF and FOX in building a future where technology is truly a partner.

Thank you, Alican and FOX, for sharing your story with us. We look forward to continuing this journey together and supporting the next chapters of FOX’s evolution.

To explore the broader context behind FOX’s story, we also invite you to read the detailed LinkedIn post by Alican Polat.
Read the full story here