Workday to invest €175m in new AI centre in Dublin adding 200 jobs 

New roles will be focused in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, and engineering

Rich Sauer, head of corporate affairs at Workday, with the company’s director of corporate affairs Victoria MacKechnie, enterprise minister Peter Burke, and chief executive of IDA Ireland Michael Lohan.

Enterprise support software firm Workday has announced plans to invest €175m over three years in a new AI centre of excellence in Dublin, adding 200 new jobs.

The California-based firm said the new centre will have four areas of focus, including product development, AI upskilling, AI academic fellowships and partnerships, as well as exploring partnership with Irish tech scale-ups.

Vice-president of software engineering and Ireland site lead at Workday Graham Abell said: “Dublin has been a cornerstone of Workday’s innovation for close to two decades”, and this latest investment would “power our next chapter”.

The 200 new roles will be focused in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, engineering, as well as research expertise to help develop the company’s AI platform Workday Illuminate.

Workday has had a presence in Dublin since 2008, and it currently employs 2,200 people here, of which about 80% work in product research and development.

The investment by Workday expands the role of its European, Middle East, and African (EMEA) headquarters in Dublin, and is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

In 2008, Workday acquired Irish tech firm Cape Clear in a share-based deal. 

Enterprise Minister Peter Burke said since Workday’s move into the Irish market, it had “evolved into a research and development powerhouse, based on a blend of talented people, technology and innovation which Ireland can uniquely provide”.

“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,” he said.

Chief executive of IDA Ireland Michael Lohan said Workday’s investment would “further strengthen Ireland’s position at the forefront of AI research and development”.

“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,” he added.