Earlier this month, Workday completed its acquisition of Sana, a leading AI company. The acquisition will allow Workday to integrate Sana’s AI-powered knowledge tools, and the insight they produce, into Workday’s platform. For Workday users, that means “a single, intelligent interface” connecting systems, data, and workflows is not far off.
Gerrit Kazmaier, president of product and technology at Workday, said, “We’re unlocking a new era of productivity, focus, and flow across our customers’ organizations with a complete AI solution for the next-generation enterprise.”
Joel Hellermark, CEO of Sana, said the acquisition would allow the companies to accelerate their vision and “create a seamless way for organizations to access knowledge, automate repetitive work, and learn with agentic AI.”
Beyond the announcement, Workday has outlined how the acquisition will shape a new product experience in the coming year.
New AI Tools Next Year
Workday will work with Sana to develop a “horizontal intelligence layer” across Workday applications and platforms. A key feature will be the introduction of AI agents.
Workday plans to provide its customers with AI agents that help find and tailor data, anticipate information requirements, and manage business systems more effectively. This effort is part of a broader initiative to give employees a more personalized and proactive experience with Workday.
Sana appears to be an ideal partner in that regard. Sana Agents allow users to work with no-code agent builders to create AI agents that analyze data, automate workflows, and act proactively across the platform.
Workday also expects Sana Learn, an AI-native learning platform, to complement Workday Learning, which provides a unified system for employee development and training. The acquisition will allow the companies to combine their respective capabilities and provide customers with a more expansive suite of tools for human capital management.
What This Means for ERP insiders
The acquisition marks a strategic shift for Workday and illustrates how ERP platforms are evolving. Workday’s move from data management to an intelligent, AI-driven system reflects a broader trend: ERPs are becoming more than a system of record. For Workday, that means the company will have the capability to assist users more proactively in the future, rather than just storing and reporting users’ data.
New capabilities will expand Workday’s functionality. Sana’s AI agents and learning platform will broaden Workday’s functionality across knowledge management, automation, and learning—areas ERP leaders have been pushing to integrate more with core systems. This should allow HR, finance, and operations teams to invest more time and energy in activities that create value for their businesses.
Customers need to prepare for adoption. AI agents will allow users to automate tasks and uncover greater insight across HR, finance, and operations. While plans to enhance Workday Learning with Sana Learn capabilities may help customers close skill gaps, change managers will need to guide employees through new workflows, ensure proper governance, and encourage adoption so the AI tools are used effectively.
