Weekly Rundown - Partnerships, AI, and GTM - June 6, 2025
It’s been another intense week in the AI and partnerships space: Workday's agent network splash, Thomson Reuters' pro-grade intelligence drop, Microsoft's skilling surge, and data duo-ups like Teradata-Fivetran made June 2-6 a feast for ecosystem builders, whispering sweet nothings about agentic GTM that'll have you rethinking your next alliance.
We see two key themes: First, agent networks are exploding as the glue for human-digital teams, making AI feel less like sci-fi and more like your next coffee run. Second, skilling and gateways are lowering the bar for GTM pros to co-create without the usual headaches. Below's the scoop on what shook out, why it's got us buzzing, and tips for your playbook. Hang tight for our deeper dive at the end, it's the kind of chat that'll spark your next brainstorm.
Workday launches AI Agent Partner Network and Gateway
On June 3 at DevCon 2025, Workday debuted its AI Agent Partner Network and Agent Gateway, a duo designed to blend AI agents seamlessly into enterprise workflows via the Workday Agent System of Record (ASOR). Think of it as a bustling digital HQ where agents get hired, onboarded, and performance-reviewed just like your star employees. Key perks include shared protocols like Model Context Protocol (MCP) for easy handoffs between systems, plus a revamped Marketplace for snagging ready-to-deploy agents from Illuminate or partners, covering everything from financial audits to talent scouting. Early birds like Accenture, Adobe, AWS, Deloitte, Glean, Google Cloud, IBM, Microsoft, and PwC are already plugging in their agents for that human-AI harmony. For Workday and its crew, this flips the script on workforce orchestration, letting GTM teams bundle agents into holistic solutions that slash silos and amp up client ROI. If you're in strategy or sales, scout those Marketplace gems now, they're your ticket to co-sell plays that turn complex audits into autopilot wins, all while keeping data locked down tight.
Thomson Reuters debuts Agentic Intelligence for pros and partners with Anthropic, AWS, and Google
Thomson Reuters kicked off June 2 with the launch of Agentic Intelligence, its shiny new suite of AI systems that plan, reason, and act across tax, audit, and accounting workflows, starting with CoCounsel for pros who live in spreadsheets and regs. It's like giving your overworked advisor a brainy sidekick that drafts memos, reviews files, and flags compliance snags, all with human oversight baked in. Powered by custom LLMs tuned by in-house experts and fueled by OpenAI models, it taps Checkpoint, Westlaw, and Practical Law for that gold-standard accuracy, with expansions like Ready to Review on deck for autonomous tax prep. Shoutout to partners Anthropic, AWS, and Google for the backend muscle, plus the Materia acquisition that turbocharged this agentic leap. This one's a game-changer for Thomson Reuters' ecosystem, embedding AI as a trusted teammate in high-stakes fields and opening doors for BD folks to layer on advisory services. Partners in legal tech, imagine co-crafting agentic add-ons that shave hours off audits, your clients will thank you with renewals, and you'll snag that edge in a field where precision is everything.
Microsoft amps up agentic AI skilling for partners
Microsoft's Americas Partner Skilling News hit on June 4, spotlighting the Agentic AI Accelerator with tracks for presales pros on AI's big-picture punch, architects tackling multi-agent setups via Azure AI Foundry and AutoGen, and devs diving deep into Copilot Studio for SharePoint agents and Semantic Kernel wizardry, capped by a hands-on project. Layer on the June 10-11 Hackathon for building agent apps with Azure OpenAI, plus Project Ready workshops like Innovate with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Build AI-Powered Agents with Copilot Studio, all laced with GTM goodies via LevelUp Journeys for ISVs and SIs. It's pure partner gold, Microsoft style, supercharging your enablement game so sales and engineering squads can orchestrate agents like pros, dodging common pitfalls and unlocking rebates on Azure plays. For operations leads, this is your low-hanging fruit, grab those cert subsidies to weave multi-agent magic into client pitches, it'll fast-track your GTM from reactive to revenue rocket.
Teradata teams with Fivetran for automated data pipelines into VantageCloud, juicing AI analytics with real-time flows for sharper partner-led insights.
Radix and Celanese link up mid-week with Cognite for AI-fueled industrial data smarts, empowering GTM in energy with predictive edge.
FDA rolls out agency-wide AI tool for performance tweaks, hinting at public-sector ripples for compliance-focused partners.
Editorial POV
Our editorial take? It’s easy to spot a profound pivot here: from AI as a shiny toy to agents as bona fide teammates, with Workday's Gateway acting like that ultimate connector hub, stitching human intuition to digital hustle in ways that feel downright empathetic. It's no accident the big guns - Accenture to IBM - are flocking; this isn't about stacking tech, it's about co-authoring workflows where oversight meets autonomy, slashing the trust gap that's tripped up so many pilots. Dive deeper, though, and the real intrigue lies in the skilling ripple: Microsoft's accelerator isn't handing out fish, it's teaching oceans to swim, arming mid-market GTM crews with AutoGen chops that level the playing field against the hyperscalers. But let's get real for a sec, the shadow side? In a rush to agent-ify everything, we risk overlooking the human spark; Thomson Reuters nails it with that expert-tuned oversight, a blueprint for ethical scaling that could save us from rogue-bot blunders. Second thread weaving through: data's the unsung hero here, with Teradata-Fivetran underscoring how clean pipes fuel agent brains, turning raw info into prescient plays for industries like energy where one bad call costs millions. The opportunity? For VPs and managers in enablement or BD, it's a clarion call to hybridize now, pair Workday's network with Microsoft's hacks for bespoke agent squads, layer in Thomson's precision for reg-heavy verticals, and you've got a moat that's not just wide, but wise. Yet the deeper bet: this week's harmony hints at a collaborative renaissance, where ecosystems evolve from transactional to transformative, rewarding those who foster inclusivity over isolation. In a world screaming for authenticity, these moves feel like a warm handshake across the digital divide. What's stirring in your corner? Hit reply and let me know, I read every note.