Machine learning and other AI technologies have been incorporated into ServiceNow since 2016. 

Over the years, ServiceNow has added several AI-powered features to their platform. For example, the Virtual Agent (an AI-powered chatbot used for customer support and service management, Predictive Intelligence (machine learning algorithms used to make predictions and recommendations based on historical data) and Natural Language Understanding (enable users to interact with the Now platform using natural language commands).

New Generative AI features in Vancouver release

ServiceNow has made a significant investment in Generative AI to prepare for the Vancouver release scheduled for Q4 2023. The company has partnered with industry leaders Nvidia and Microsoft to leverage their AI capabilities and take Generative AI to the next level.

One of the most significant features of the Vancouver release is the Generative AI Controller, which is a low-code development tool that can be customised and configured to meet an organisation's specific needs. This tool provides built-in actions that make it easy to integrate Generative AI capabilities into workflows, leading to efficient self-service and workflow experiences. ServiceNow's partnership with Nvidia also adds their new data processing unit (DPU) to the Now Platform. Nvidia's DPU is designed to accelerate AI computing and enable the creation of intelligent applications that can handle complex workloads. 

ServiceNow has also partnered with Microsoft to integrate their language models and natural language processing capabilities in Now Assist for Search and Virtual Agents. Now Assist for Search is an AI-powered virtual assistant that uses Generative AI to provide more relevant, contextual, and conversational responses to user queries. The Virtual Agent improves customer service by providing personalised and accurate responses to queries.

Preparing for Generative AI 

As an existing ServiceNow customer you should evaluate your business objectives and current processes to identify areas where Generative AI can drive efficiency, enhance customer experience, and improve your overall decision-making. 
There are 3 key steps you can take as part of this review:

1. Clean Your Data
   The quality of the Generative AI experience is directly proportional to the quality of the data you give it to train on. You must ensure that the data present in your instance, or that you want the AI to be trained against, is timely, consistent, complete, accurate, and valid. By ensuring the data quality, you can help the Generative AI to generate the content you want, and to its best knowledge.
2. Refine Your Workflows
   AI cannot do everything, and the same goes for workflows. You will need to audit your existing workflows to determine or ensure AI automation appropriateness. This may include asking questions like: Is human empathy or judgment needed? Does it involve sensitive or confidential data? Are there ethical or legal implications attached to the workflow? By refining your workflows, you can ensure that the Generative AI automates only the appropriate workflows.
3. Review Current Processes
   Conducting a comprehensive review of your current processes is recommended to identify spaces appropriate for AI. It would help if you also understood your goals, expectations of how and what you want to achieve with AI. By reviewing your processes, you can identify areas where Generative AI can be utilised and leverage its capabilities to improve your processes.

How DXC Practice for ServiceNow support you

In preparing for the Vancouver release ServiceNow customers should also consider how Generative AI technologies fit into your overall IT strategy. Wherever you start with Generative AI, your strategy should lead to responsible AI. Businesses need AI they can trust, and that is lawful, ethical, and aligned to their values. While it is important to ensure your ServiceNow team is preparing for new features by reviewing data, workflows, and current processes, it’s equally critical to understand where source data and knowledge repositories that feed into content outputs are located, to meet probity and regulatory requirements.

DXC Practice for ServiceNow can provide business advisory services to help you prepare for AI implementation. Just talk to one of our solution architects to give you current ServiceNow AI offerings, an understanding of your data, process landscape, their AI compatibility, and any licensing limitations.