Workday Launches AI Agent Management Platform

Workday Launches AI Agent Management System

Workday, a leading provider of human capital management solutions, is introducing a novel system designed to centralize the tracking and management of AI agents within enterprises. Simultaneously, the company is expanding its own suite of AI-powered tools.

Centralized AI Agent Control

The newly unveiled Workday Agent System of Record provides organizations with a unified control center for all AI agents, irrespective of their origin – whether developed by Workday itself or a third-party vendor. This centralized approach aims to streamline oversight and governance.

Visibility and Control Features

This system delivers comprehensive visibility into the intended functions of each AI agent, the tasks they are actively performing, and the personnel within the company who possess access privileges. It also monitors the impact of each agent and forecasts associated costs.

Furthermore, the platform empowers companies to activate or deactivate agents entirely, or selectively enable or disable specific skills or tasks.

The Expanding Workforce

During a press briefing, Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach emphasized the need to manage AI agents with the same diligence as human employees, as the workforce evolves to include digital workers. “The workforce is expanding,” he stated. “It’s no longer just human workers, it’s now digital workers, and we need to have a unified platform that manages your entire workforce going forward.”

Addressing Enterprise Concerns

Eschenbach acknowledged the hesitancy surrounding AI adoption within enterprises, citing concerns about loss of control and unauthorized data access. Workday anticipates that this new product will alleviate these anxieties.

New AI Agents from Workday

In addition to the management system, Workday announced a range of new AI agents focused on key areas such as payroll processing, contract management, and financial auditing. These additions build upon the four agents released in September, which targeted recruitment and talent mobility.

Role-Based AI Agents

Workday’s latest AI agents are designed to be more role-driven than task-driven, distinguishing them from many existing AI solutions. David Somers, Workday’s chief product officer, explained that this role-centric approach equips agents with specialized knowledge and facilitates better collaboration with human colleagues.

Unlocking the Power of AI

“A lot of people talk about agents, but these agents today are doing a task. They’re just doing something that is repetitive and making it faster,” Eschenbach added. “The true power of agents is when they become role based, and these role-based agents will maybe start out with a skill, but they will, over time, have many skills, and this is how we will truly unlock the power of AI.”

Pricing and Recent Changes

The AI agent management platform will be offered to enterprises at no additional cost. However, usage of Workday AI agents will continue to be subject to existing pricing structures. This announcement follows a recent workforce reduction of 1,750 employees, representing approximately 8.5% of Workday’s total headcount.

Eschenbach previously stated that this restructuring was necessary to adapt to a changing landscape and prioritize the recruitment of AI talent.

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