ServiceNow presented the latest version of its platform. This new release, named Vancouver, focuses mainly on generative AI, as it has added the necessary generative AI assistants. Customers can now get started with generative AI on the Now platform starting September 29.
At ServiceNow, they didn’t choose to name their assistant Copilot but Now Assist. ServiceNow has introduced different versions of Now Assist, all focused on various components. There is a Now Assist for ITSM, Now Assist for CSM, Now Assist for HR, and Now Assist for Creator. In the future, we will probably just see “Now Assist” within the entire Now platform without all those add-ons.
Examples of Now Assist
During a prebriefing, we were shown some examples of what Now Assist is capable of. The main feature we saw in various forms was summarizing information, tickets and cases. If you open something within the platform, for example, a ticket, there can be a lot of information. It will take time for an agent to read and process all that information, but now you can ask Now Assist to create a summary.
Another feature is more intelligent chatbots. ServiceNow is not yet betting on fully autonomous chatbots, as they are still talking about a transfer to an employee. However, Now Assist can also create a summary based on the conversation between the bot and the customer to directly tell the employee what has been discussed so far. The employee or agent doesn’t have to ask the same questions again.
In addition, ServiceNow can take an organization’s knowledge base and support users through a chatbot. As an example, they cite Now Assist for HR. If someone wants to know what the policy is for maternity leave, the information from the knowledge base can be scooped up by a chatbot. Using OpenAI, the information can be presented in a conversational form.
Finally, ServiceNow has also developed an LLM focused on low-code development within the platform. The model can generate code based on a textual query to add features to the Now Platform.
ServiceNow has taken first step in generative AI
With the introduction of Now Assist, ServiceNow has taken a first step. We talk about a first step because we believe this is really just the beginning. We have already seen much more advanced forms of generative AI at other vendors, for example, Google and Salesforce. That doesn’t mean that Now Assist is bad, the hardest part is integrating it properly into your existing solutions, ServiceNow has achieved that and now it can entirely focus on expanding the capabilities of generative AI within the Now platform.
If we look at resolving tickets in the Now platform, currently, Now Assist only offers the option to provide a summary. Salesforce, for example, can already immediately suggest different answers that can be sent with the click of a button. They can do this because they use generative AI to analyze the case and also find the best answer. This is clearly the next step for ServiceNow, but one that we can expect in a future version.
ServiceNow LLMs and collaboration with Google should improve Now Assist
ServiceNow currently offers the ability to import your own LLMs. While that is becoming increasingly easier for organizations, it is still a big step for many. ServiceNow is also looking at how to partner more intensively with Google, which could significantly improve Now Assist. Currently, customers can use ChatGPT (OpenAI) or Bing (Microsoft). That will no doubt soon include Bart (Google). However, what is much more important is a good collaboration with Google Cloud around Vertex AI. With Vertex AI, you can use more than 100 LLMs and modify or extend them with your own company data as needed. Being able to import those models, including the extensions, into the Now platform will make it a lot more powerful. A partnership with Google is, therefore, essential for ServiceNow.
Finally, ServiceNow revealed that they also have a team working on their own LLMs to make the Now platform better and more comprehensive. We can expect some good LLMs from an organization of ServiceNow’s stature.
Availability Now Assist
ServiceNow customers will be able to start using Now Assist beginning September 29, but they will need to purchase a new subscription or license to do so. Currently, ServiceNow offers professional and enterprise licenses. To use Now Assist, customers must use Professional Plus or Enterprise Plus. Those Plus versions come at a different price tag.
Also read: Knowledge23: Do people now know what ServiceNow is and does?
Other innovations in Now platform
Besides the generative AI announcements, ServiceNow also had time to highlight a few other features in the platform. Of course, there are many more, but these are the main ones.
ServiceNow Zero Trust Access
A zero trust framework has now been added within ServiceNow Vault, where access to certain parts of the platform can be split based on the user’s session. You can take into account the user’s location, the network they are using, what risk score the user has and what device the user is logged into.
For example, vital company documents can only be accessed when logged into a company PC at the office and not from home. Or the entire platform is inaccessible when logged into a public hotspot.
Clinical Device Management (CDM).
The new Clical Device Management solution is aimed at healthcare providers that deal with installing, maintaining and managing machines in hospitals, for example. Think of an MRI scanner, an X-ray machine, but also blood pressure meters or respirators. It is essential that these machines are properly maintained, and this is well documented. In the end, being maintained adequately is cheaper than if they break down and require emergency repairs and all scheduled appointments have to be postponed.
Employee Growth and Development (EDG).
Finally, ServiceNow has made a new tool available within the Now platform. Employee Growth and Development is a tool that uses AI to map employee skills. By mapping skills properly, managers have a better overview of their team’s capabilities and they also make better use of them.
Overall, ServiceNow Vancouver is another substantial update, with a huge number of smaller updates as well. The biggest step is the platform’s introduction and availability of generative AI. We are eager to see how this will develop in future versions.
20 hours ago
