Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ: WDAY) has unveiled Workday Illuminate™ agents, a new suite of purpose-built AI solutions embedded in HR, Finance, and industry workflows. Designed to tackle some of the most complex business processes, Illuminate agents aim to help organizations work smarter, faster, and with greater confidence.
AI That Delivers Real Business Value
AI adoption is booming, yet many organizations struggle to see tangible results. An MIT study found that despite billions spent on AI last year, only 5% of organizations reported a meaningful return. Workday’s Illuminate agents seek to bridge this gap by embedding AI directly into workflows, turning enterprise systems from passive record-keepers into active systems of action.
“Too many AI efforts amount to random acts of automation that never scale or deliver real value,” said Gerrit Kazmaier, president, product and technology, Workday. “Workday Illuminate is different. With purpose-built AI agents and a single, open enterprise platform, we’re redefining ERP for the AI era.”
HR Agents Streamline Workforce Management
HR leaders face pressure to attract, retain, and engage talent while minimizing administrative burdens. Illuminate for HR agents automates critical but time-consuming processes:
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Business Process Copilot Agent: Automates setup and configuration of new business processes.
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Case Agent: Reduces administrative resolution times and improves employee experience.
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Document Intelligence for Contingent Labor Agent: Accelerates SOW creation and contract alignment.
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Employee Sentiment Agent: Analyzes feedback continuously, helping leaders take action at scale.
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Job Architecture Agent: Automates creation and management of job ladders for agility and growth.
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Performance Agent: Streamlines performance reviews and recommends data-driven actions.
Finance Agents Drive Speed and Insight
Finance teams face dual pressures to protect and grow the business. Illuminate agents for Finance simplify reconciliation, testing, and planning:
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Cost & Profitability Agent: Uses natural language to define allocation rules and drivers.
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Financial Close Agent: Automates and accelerates the financial close process.
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Financial Test Agent: Continuously tests financials to detect fraud and ensure compliance.
Industry-Specific Agents Enhance Specialized Workflows
Illuminate agents also address unique industry demands, such as higher education:
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Academic Requirements Agent: Automates creation of academic requirements, cutting implementation hours.
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Student Administration Agent: Provides intelligent assistance across student lifecycles.
Proven Results Across Workday’s Agent Portfolio
Early access agents already deliver measurable outcomes:
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Contract Intelligence Agent: Reduces contract execution time by 65%.
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Frontline Agent: Cuts staffing change management time by up to 90%.
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Financial Audit Agent: Saves customers up to 900 hours annually.
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Payroll Agent: Automates payroll tasks and accelerates compliance by 4x.
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Planning Agent: Reduces data analysis time by ~100 hours per month.
With Workday Flex Credits, customers access AI innovation continuously, ensuring they always benefit from the latest Illuminate agents and platform updates without extra procurement cycles.
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