Workday acquires Sana for USD $1.1 billion to boost AI at work

Workday has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sana, an artificial intelligence company specialising in enterprise knowledge tools, for approximately USD $1.1 billion.

Sana was established in 2016 and has developed AI-powered products such as Sana Learn and Sana Agents, which serve over one million users across hundreds of enterprises.

Product integration

Workday plans to use Sana's technology to create a new Workday experience by integrating knowledge, data, actions, and learning into a unified platform designed to personalise and streamline the employee experience across organisations.

Sana's products will continue to be developed within Workday following the acquisition. The partnership is expected to allow Sana to expand its reach and accelerate product growth across a broader customer base.

"Sana's team, AI-native approach, and beautiful design perfectly align with our vision to reimagine the future of work," said Gerrit Kazmaier, President, Product and Technology, Workday. "This will make Workday the new front door for work, delivering a proactive, personalized, and intelligent experience that unlocks unmatched AI capabilities for the workplace."

Joel Hellermark, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sana, said, "Our focus has always been on creating intuitive AI tools that improve how people learn and work. I'm excited to bring these tools to 75 million Workday users and partner with Workday's iconic team to launch a new era of superintelligence for work."

AI-enhanced employee experience

Sana's technology is intended to empower employees by making workplace information more accessible and actionable. AI agents developed through Sana will enable users to find answers and files instantly across platforms including Workday itself, Google Drive, SharePoint, and Office365. These agents will also summarise insights, assist with projects, create documents, and automate workflows end-to-end.

The integration will use Workday's context and data, including information on people and finance, which aims to deliver a more personalised and proactive employee experience. For example, hiring managers will be able to receive tailored insights and suggestions during the recruitment and onboarding process, as well as automate various human resources functions.

Examples of customer use

Existing users of Sana Agents have reported measurable improvements in productivity. Specific cases noted in the announcement include a leading US manufacturer experiencing up to 95% time savings, a multinational industrial technology company achieving 90% productivity gains, and a global law firm reporting 60% time savings and 200% increased efficiency using AI agents built with Sana's platform.

AI-powered learning advancements

Sana has also focused on artificial intelligence-driven learning through its Sana Learn platform. This product includes features for learning management, content creation, course generation, and personalised tutoring. Notable outcomes among Sana Learn's customers include a global electric vehicle manufacturer increasing learner engagement by 275%, a European installation distributor reducing course creation time from four months to four days, and a global fintech company decreasing content creation time from three weeks to three hours.

The Sana Learn platform will complement Workday Learning by delivering additional personalised skill-building and AI-powered content creation at scale, as well as supporting internal mobility and talent optimisation initiatives.

"Sana pioneered the world of intelligent agents and AI-native learning at scale," said Josh Bersin, Global Industry Analyst and Chief Executive Officer of The Josh Bersin Company and a Sana customer. "I think Sana's AI agent and learning system gives Workday customers the opportunity to completely transform the way their employees learn, grow, and operate as super workers in this new age of AI."

Details of the acquisition

Workday will acquire all outstanding shares of Sana for about USD $1.1 billion. The transaction is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of Workday's fiscal year 2026, ending 31 January 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Allen & Company is acting as Workday's financial advisor, with legal advice from Orrick, while DLA Piper is serving as Sana's legal advisor.