ServiceNow Expands Now Assist AI Platform with New Workflow Features
Enterprise workflow solutions provider ServiceNow is set to enhance its Now Assist AI platform, introducing a feature that allows businesses to integrate AI agents into their workflows.
AI Agent Capabilities
Now Assist, ServiceNow's AI productivity platform, will feature an extensive library of AI agents coupled with the new Now Assist Skill Kit. This toolkit enables clients to create prompts and skills for their AI agents, allowing them to "build, test, and deploy generative AI skills" tailored to specific applications.
Dorit Zilbershot, Vice President of AI at ServiceNow, emphasized the company's commitment to providing clients with control over AI agent operations. She stated, “We’re building in a way that is human-centric, ensuring genuine collaboration between AI and humans.” This flexibility allows customers to determine the level of human oversight required, from constant approval requests to fully autonomous AI agents.
Tailored Solutions
Joe Davis, Senior Vice President for Platform Engineering, outlined that ServiceNow will offer a set of expert agents designed for specific tasks, which users can easily activate or customize. In November 2024, ServiceNow will launch its first two AI agent use cases focused on customer service management and IT service management, with future enhancements to include multimodal inputs such as voice and images.
Agent Coordination
Zilbershot described ServiceNow's innovative approach to agentic AI as a multi-agent system capable of internal communication and leveraging organizational data. This setup enables users to automate entire workflows or assign AI agents to focused tasks.
Growing Trend in AI Agents
AI agents have become a focal point for numerous companies, attracting significant investor interest. Recently, Texas-based startup Fastn secured $2.6 million in seed funding for its data integration AI agent, while Y Combinator-backed Paradigm raised $2 million for its rapid spreadsheet agent. Additionally, You.com raised $50 million, predicting a future where AI agents dominate web searches.
Unlike standalone AI agents, ServiceNow’s feature allows enterprises to create or customize existing AI agents. This aligns with trends in the industry, such as Amazon's July announcement of Agents for Bedrock, which automates API calls for developers.
Additional Updates to Now Assist
The enhancements to Now Assist extend beyond AI agent customization. The platform will also feature data visualization generation, automated chat and email responses, change request summaries for IT teams, and LLM-based prompts for timely HR notifications.
Moreover, Now Assist can now "communicate" with Microsoft’s Copilot for Microsoft 365, enabling seamless task execution. Users on Microsoft Teams can easily request tasks, such as ordering laptops or accessing company policies, directly through the integration.