The new AI centre will boost the company’s R&D for AI-driven solutions for enterprises.
US enterprise software company Workday is investing €175m over the next three years to establish an AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dublin, adding more than 200 specialised roles to the company.
The multimillion-euro investment into Workday is supported by IDA Ireland and expands the role of Workday’s EMEA headquarters in product research and development globally. The new roles, the company said, will be in the areas of AI, machine learning, cybersecurity and engineering.
Dublin has been Workday’s EMEA command post since 2015. It opened its second Irish office in the city in 2023, splitting the company’s various EMEA functions between the two offices.
In late 2026, the company’s two existing offices are set to move to its new and much larger Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters at College Square in Dublin. The company currently employs 2,200 people in Dublin.
The new AI CoE will focus on developing AI-driven solutions as well as upskilling employees, and collaborating with academia and the start-up ecosystem in the country, the company added.
285 Workday employees have already graduated with certifications in AI through a partnership with Technological University Dublin. While a new collaboration with Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet plans to upskill 300 current employees through its AI Business Academy.
In addition, Workday’s industry fellowships program, in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University and Research Ireland will directly embed postdoctoral researchers within R&D teams in the company, it said. This allows Workday to directly work with emerging highly skilled talent.
Meanwhile its innovation network created in partnership with Enterprise Ireland allows Workday to collaborate with AI start-ups, SMEs and other industry leaders such as Wrksense, Payslip and Workhuman.
“Since Workday acquired Irish tech innovator Cape Clear in 2008, it has evolved into a research and development powerhouse, based on a blend of talented people, technology and innovation which Ireland can uniquely provide,” said Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD.
“Workday’s decision to expand its AI footprint in Dublin is a testament to Ireland’s reputation as a global leader in technology and innovation.”
Graham Abell, the vice-president of software engineering and Ireland site lead at Workday said, “Dublin has been a cornerstone of Workday’s innovation for close to two decades. This latest investment will power our next chapter.”
The strong pivot toward AI led to layoffs at the company earlier this year, which saw more than 1,700 jobs, or around 8.5pc of its global workforce being cut.
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