Enterprise software firm Workday seeks to revive its market share with the launch of the recently unveiled AI platform, Sana amid leadership changes, layoffs, and competitive pressure from rivals such as Oracle and SAP, a senior company executive indicated.
“SANA is designed as an intelligence layer for the enterprise where people and AI agents can not just find information, but decide and act across workflows,” Sunil Jose, President – India, Workday said in an interaction with Fe.
As application software makers have faced fears over potential disruption to their business models from AI tools, the NASDAQ listed company sees embedding AI into these systems as a method to enhance their value rather than diminish it, leading to the ideology behind Sana.
Unlike standalone AI tools, the platform is embedded within Workday’s core systems and designed to both generate insights and take action. It includes a conversational AI interface, a self-service agent with over 300 skills handling HR and finance tasks, and an enterprise layer that connects with tools such as Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, Salesforce, Slack, and SharePoint.
The industry concerns arise from the fact that artificial-intelligence tools launched by companies such as Anthropic would erode demand for traditional software. However, Workday had responded with a firm stance saying that Anthropic, Google and OpenAI all run Workday, and that no amount of vibe coding is going to produce an HR or an ERP system, given the complexity of the system.
Precision Over Probability
Unlike traditional chatbot-driven AI systems, enterprise-grade AI must operate within strict frameworks of governance, compliance, and accuracy. “Enterprises cannot run on probabilistic outputs when it comes to payroll or accounting. These systems need to be precise and trusted,” Jose noted.
Hinting towards conversational AI models, Jose said that If an AI system delivers even 90% accuracy in a company of 10,000 employees, that could mean 1,000 people don’t get paid on time.
India Growth Story
Workday’s shares have come under pressure after the company issued a weaker-than-expected subscription revenue outlook of about $2.34 billion for the current quarter, slightly below analyst estimates. The stock has also seen a steep decline this year, reflecting broader investor concerns about whether traditional enterprise software vendors can adapt quickly enough to the AI shift.
Despite the on-ground workforce being relatively small for the company in India, its customer ecosystem includes firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and global capability centres like Walmart Global Tech. Even as it restructures globally, Workday is doubling down on India, which it sees as both a talent and innovation hub, highlighting the country’s dual role as both a delivery hub and a consumption market.
The company has expanded its workforce in the country from around 500 to over 1,200 employees in the past year, while strengthening partnerships with firms such as Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, and KPMG, Jose said.
“India is a strategic growth engine for us, not just from a revenue perspective, but as an innovation hub for AI and enterprise technology,” Jose added.