Workday’s Vision for AI

Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the appointment of 27 experts to the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC), including Sayan Chakraborty, executive vice president of product and technology at Workday. The committee will advise President Biden and the White House’s National AI Initiative Office on a broad range of AI issues. Sayan shares his views on the importance of driving the development and adoption of ethical AI and shaping smart policy around it.

At Workday, we believe in delivering innovation that unlocks human potential, and we understand the opportunity that artificial intelligence (AI) offers to positively transform how people and organizations operate. We also believe that it’s vital that we come together—members of academia, industry, and government— to navigate the potential implications of AI for individuals, for society, and for the world around us.

I believe the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC) has a key role to play in charting a responsible course forward. While I’m joining the committee in a personal capacity, I’m honored to work for a company that’s focused on developing trustworthy and groundbreaking enterprise AI products, and helping to shape an AI policy landscape that’s transparent and innovative.

As we bring the benefits of AI to bear for our customers and their employees, we’re committed to doing so responsibly. We’ve developed six guiding principles: 

  • Put people first.
  • Care about the society around us.
  • Act fairly. 
  • Respect the laws that govern the way we operate.
  • Be responsible custodians of data.
  • Always be transparent and accountable.

With those principles at our core, Workday seeks to promote the use of AI to provide:

  • Insights to Help Inform Decision Making | Insights and predictions that help inform decisions in a changing landscape. 
  • Insights to Unlock Opportunities | Tools that unlock opportunities for people and organizations as they work to develop new skills or reach their goals.  
  • Insights to Improve Experiences | Continued investment in AI that automates labor-intensive or manual processes and enables personalized, intelligent experiences so people can realize their potential. 

At Workday, we believe in delivering innovation that unlocks human potential, and we understand the opportunity that artificial intelligence (AI) offers to positively transform how people and organizations operate.

In order for AI-based technologies to have the positive impact that they are capable of, we must have a strong foundation of trust. Smart public policy, commitment to transparency, and rigorous technology investments are the best path to promoting trust in AI—and Workday is committed to this path. We advocate for risk-based, globally-harmonized approaches to AI governance—including the launch of the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework and a thoughtful approach with the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act. 

I look forward to working alongside my fellow NAIAC members and the Workday community in our continued effort to elevate the human experience through AI innovation.  

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