ServiceNow Launches Library of AI Agents to Automate Enterprise Workflows

ServiceNow introduces customizable AI agents for enterprise workflows: ServiceNow’s latest update to its Now Assist AI platform includes a new feature that allows enterprises to integrate AI agents into their workflows, providing a library of pre-built agents and the ability to customize them using the Now Assist Skill Kit.

• The Now Assist Skill Kit enables companies to build, test, and deploy new generative AI skills and assign them to AI agents, tailoring them to specific workflow requirements.
• This approach allows AI agents to learn how to manage business processes alongside employees, offering a collaborative human-AI interaction.
• Dorit Zilbershot, VP of AI at ServiceNow, emphasizes that customers have full control over the level of human oversight for AI agents, ranging from constant approval requests to autonomous operation.

Key features and use cases: ServiceNow is rolling out specific AI agent applications and plans to expand their capabilities in the future.

• The company will launch its first two AI agent use cases in November 2024, focusing on customer service management and IT service management.
• Future iterations of ServiceNow agents will be able to process multimodal inputs, including voice and images.
• The platform aims to provide a collection of expert agents for specific tasks that users can easily activate or customize to their needs.

Agentic AI approach: ServiceNow’s implementation of AI agents involves a multi-agent system designed to work cohesively with the company’s underlying data.

• The system includes an orchestrator AI agent that coordinates with specialized AI agents focused on specific tasks.
• This approach allows for full automation of some workflows or targeted AI assistance for individual processes.
• The multi-agent system leverages the company’s data to provide context-aware and efficient solutions.

Market context and competition: The introduction of customizable AI agents by ServiceNow reflects a growing trend in the AI industry, with various companies developing specialized or customizable AI agents.

• Recent startups like Fastn and Paradigm have received seed funding for their specialized AI agents in data integration and spreadsheet management, respectively.
• You.com, an AI search and productivity platform, has predicted a future where AI agents will handle most web searches.
• Other tech giants like Amazon have also introduced similar features, such as Agents for Bedrock, which automates API calls for developers.

Additional Now Assist updates: The platform’s latest release includes several new features beyond AI agent customization.

• Data visualization generation capabilities have been added to enhance data presentation and analysis.
• Chat and email reply generation tools are now available to streamline communication processes.
• A change summarization feature has been introduced to help IT teams quickly track and understand change requests.
• LLM-based prompts will send timely HR reminders to employees and managers.

Integration with Microsoft Copilot: ServiceNow has also implemented connectivity between Now Assist and Microsoft’s Copilot for Microsoft 365.

• This integration allows users to access Now Assist features and tasks directly through Microsoft Teams using Copilot.
• Examples of integrated tasks include ordering new equipment or accessing company policies stored in Now Assist.

Broader implications: ServiceNow’s introduction of customizable AI agents represents a significant step towards more flexible and intelligent enterprise workflow solutions.

• This development could potentially accelerate the adoption of AI in various business processes, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
• However, it also raises questions about the balance between AI automation and human oversight in the workplace, as well as the potential impact on jobs traditionally performed by humans.
• As more companies introduce similar features, it will be crucial to monitor how these AI agents affect workplace dynamics and whether they truly enhance collaboration between humans and AI as intended.