Workday's AI Agent Partner Strategy: A 2026 Channel Transformation
Workday’s recent updates drive a new era for channel partners. From the launch of its AI Agent Partner Network and Agent Gateway to deepening ties with Google and AWS, Workday has solidified its place in the modern enterprise ecosystem. These moves come as organizations demand more interoperable, intelligent solutions — making partner agility, data-sharing, and co-selling table stakes.
What is happening at Workday?
In a market defined by rapid AI adoption and cloud-first architectures, Workday stands out for prioritizing ecosystem scale and innovation. Recurring Gartner data demonstrates that partner-centric SaaS markets are growing at a 17% YoY pace, with channel partners expected to drive over 65% of AI-related enterprise implementations by 2026.
Workday’s open approach — accelerated by its integrations with Google BigQuery and AWS — aims to remove vendor lock-in, unlock new routes to market, and give partners the tooling to differentiate through intelligence-driven solutions.
Key updates for partners
Here’s a summary of recent announcements shaping the Workday ecosystem in 2026:
- AI Agent Partner Network and agent gateway: Workday’s new program gives partners access to innovative agentic AI capabilities, with compliance and ethics at the core. “The Agent Partner Network is a continuation of that desire to expand our ecosystem to include not only application vendors and integration partners, but now agents,” said Matt Brandt, Workday senior vice president of global partners, in an interview with CRN. Learn more here.
- Google BigQuery partnership: This integration opens up new opportunities for analytics-focused partners to deliver cross-cloud, data-driven solutions. "By combining Workday's trusted HR and finance data with Google Cloud's leading analytics and AI capabilities, customers can build intelligent agents to streamline their operations and drive smarter and more timely decisions with confidence," said Andi Gutmans, VP and GM, Data Cloud, Google Cloud. Learn more here.
- AWS collaboration: Further extending Workday’s hyperscaler reach—and bringing increased co-selling, data-sharing, and compliance frameworks to the community. Together with Workday's Agent System of Record and Amazon Bedrock's comprehensive foundation model ecosystem and enterprise-grade development framework, we'll empower organizations to unlock exponential value while maintaining our shared commitment to security and responsible AI," said Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President of Agentic AI, AWS. Read more here.
- Recognition of ecosystem excellence: Workday honored Deloitte, Sability, and other partners for leading the way in new AI- and data-led customer outcomes. “The exceptional solutions delivered by our partners directly translate to unparalleled value for our customers. Their innovative spirit is the cornerstone of our ecosystem, enabling us to exceed expectations and redefine success,” said Matt Brandt. Learn more here.
Implications for channel leaders
Workday’s channel evolution marks a clear shift away from closed, programmatic models toward a more agile, ecosystem-first go-to-market approach. As a result, pricing structures, incentives, and definitions of channel value are being actively recalibrated to reflect this new reality.
For partners, this shift brings both opportunity and increased responsibility. Specifically, partners now face:
- More transparent and competitive deal structures, driven by deeper hyperscaler alignment
- Greater accountability for governing agentic AI use cases, including ethical and compliance considerations
- A premium on co-sell readiness and data integration, requiring partners to operate as orchestrators between customer needs and complex technology stacks
These changes reflect growing customer demand for clarity and trust as agentic AI becomes more embedded in enterprise operations. As Matt Brandt explained in an interview with CRN, “Our customers know that AI agents are going to be an important part of the future, and we want to give them a responsible and trusted way to manage all that… A lot of customers don’t really know what’s happening or what’s going to happen in the agentic world.”
That emphasis on responsible management is echoed by Workday’s hyperscaler partners. AWS’s Swami Sivasubramanian reinforced this direction, noting, “With Workday’s Agent System of Record, organizations will be much better positioned to ethically manage all these agents. We’re excited to collaborate with Workday to reshape the future of work through agentic AI.”
Expert and community POV
Channel leaders concur that moving to an open ecosystem and prioritizing AI agent intelligence will demand new skills, technical integrations, and a willingness to co-sell and innovate together. Partners who align fastest will capture more recurring revenue as buyers prioritize integrated, outcome-focused solutions.
Momentum from within the partner ecosystem further underscores this transition. Reflecting on the year ahead, Rogerio Almeida, Group Vice President of the Global Partners Organisation at Workday, shared: “Thank you to the Workday partner community for raising the bar in 2025 and leaning into a new era of ecosystem-led growth.”
Recommended actions for partners
To capitalize on Workday’s new ecosystem strategy, channel leaders should:
- Review and align to updated program requirements, especially for AI governance and compliance
- Invest in analytics and data integration skills to maximize the Google BigQuery and AWS opportunities
- Prioritize go-to-market plays that leverage co-selling and joint solution development within the Workday ecosystem
- Use an Ecosystem Revenue Platform like Crossbeam to identify overlapping accounts and pipeline opportunities for joint pursuit
- Upskill teams on new developer resources and APIs within the Workday open network
Technology tie-in: The Crossbeam advantage
Channel partners using platforms like Crossbeam can proactively address ecosystem shifts by:
- Mapping customer and partner overlaps to unlock new co-selling plays
- Mitigating margin risk as channel incentives and pricing structures change
- Streamlining GTM motions across CRM and PRM integrations
- Prioritizing the right leads via built-in propensity data, expanding the addressable market faster
- Maintaining strict data boundaries and security within a growing AI agent context
What’s next
Workday’s investments in open ecosystem development, AI agent programs, and hyperscaler partnerships position its channel for deeper, multi-cloud enterprise deals in 2026.
Expect continued growth in agentic solution revenues, more program incentives tied to ecosystem-wide KPIs, and tighter alignment with leading SaaS players. In the next article, we break down the tactical plays Workday partners can run to accelerate value in this new era.
Sign up for Crossbeam for free to see how you can leverage Ecosystem Intelligence and accelerate your channel growth within the HR and finance ecosystem.
FAQ
- When do Workday’s new partner program updates take effect?
Most new elements — including the Agent Partner Network and developer resources — rolled out in Q4 2025 and are fully supported as of January 2026.
- What’s the main impact on channel partners?
Partners must be prepared to deliver, govern, and differentiate AI agent-based and multi-cloud solutions. Success now depends on co-selling, data integration, and ecosystem collaboration.
- How can partners identify the best new opportunities?
By leveraging ecosystem intelligence platforms like Crossbeam, partners can spot overlap and high-propensity accounts, prioritize strategic joint pursuits, and reduce channel conflict.
References
- Workday Announces New AI Agent Partner Network and Agent Gateway to Power the Next Generation of Human and Digital Workforces
- Workday Expands Its Open Ecosystem with New Global Developer Network and Google BigQuery Partnership
- Rogerio Almeida's Insights
- Announcing Our 2025 Workday Partner Award Winners
