Lighting the Future: What to Expect at Workday Rising 2025

In this article we discuss:

• Brené Brown: Leading With Heart in the Age of AI
• The Most Powerful AI for HR and Finance
• Big Ideas From Industry Visionaries

Workday Rising 2025 is just around the corner-and we're incredibly excited to welcome you to what promises to be a truly transformative experience! More than 30,000 of us will gather live in-person and digitally to celebrate our brightest innovators-our forward-thinking customers-fostering a powerful ecosystem for community building and networking.

Rising is designed to be one of the definitive AI conferences of the year, with the people shaping what's next in finance, HR, and technology. From exploring innovative finance and HR solutions to learning how visionary companies are solving business problems, attendees will leave equipped to manage their people, money, and AI agents with confidence.

Here's a preview of what you can expect.

Brené Brown: Leading With Heart in the Age of AI

I'm beyond thrilled to welcome our opening keynote speaker, Brené Brown, to Workday Rising this year. Her message on courage, vulnerability, and daring leadership is exactly what organizations need to navigate the complexities of the future of work, especially with the rapid integration of AI. I had the opportunity to sit down with her recently, and we became fast friends. I can't wait for everyone attending Rising to experience her incredible message.

As AI continues to take on more technical and repetitive tasks, what really shines through is the enduring power of our human skills-like collaboration, courage, curiosity, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Brené will remind us that it's not just about integrating new technology, but also doubling down on what makes us human: fostering strong connections and having the courage to lead with empathy and heart.

Her insights underscore that true leadership in an AI-driven world goes beyond the tech itself and focuses on connecting deeply and leading with compassion. Her message will empower leaders to build resilient organizations and guide their teams through change with both wisdom and compassion.

The Most Powerful AI for HR and Finance

AI is fundamentally reshaping how we work-and we can't wait for you to experience it with us. No longer just about managing the human workforce, it's about strategically integrating AI to reach new levels of human potential and drive real business value, elevating humans while also embracing the collaboration between people and machines. You'll discover how AI within Workday leads to improved employee experiences, significant productivity gains, and truly informed decision-making.

Workday Rising 2025 is designed to be one of the definitive AI conferences of the year, with the people shaping what's next in finance, HR, and technology.

Expect a powerhouse lineup of more than 400 groundbreaking sessions, including immersive activations, hands-on experiences, and live product demos that provide a sneak peek into the future with Workday Illuminate^TM at the forefront, showcasing how Workday is AI-powered, human-centric, and future-ready. We'll demonstrate real-world scenarios, from transforming talent strategy to speeding up financial closes and automating contract intelligence. Our focus is on human augmentation, helping your people do their best work.

Plus, you'll hear directly from forward-thinking organizations in our customer showcases, sharing their AI success stories and best practices. These fellow customers are tackling the same challenges you are, so networking with them-not to mention access to more than 800 product experts-will help you discover how your business can thrive in the age of AI.

Big Ideas From Industry Visionaries

If there's one session you absolutely cannot miss, it's our Innovation Keynote. This is where we'll showcase our vision of shaping the future of work with AI that is human-centric and transformative, highlighting how Workday, our customers, and our partners are driving enterprise transformations and harnessing the power of Workday Illuminate.

We'll paint a vivid picture of how AI is accelerating work and driving massive productivity gains for companies. We'll spotlight the real-world success stories of HR, finance, and IT leaders who are already leveraging AI to supercharge their operations.

Workday Rising is where the future of work comes into focus. Our goal is for you to walk away feeling not just informed, but energized and empowered to drive meaningful impact and innovation within your own organizations.

I can't wait to see you there!

We're thrilled to come together as a community for this year's Workday Rising. Join us online as part of our digital experience. Register now.