Actionable Insights for External AI Integrations with ServiceNow

There is considerable excitement surrounding the release of ServiceNow GenAI, which now allows organizations to seamlessly integrate ServiceNow instances with large language models (LLMs) from Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and the OpenAI API. This connectivity is designed to enhance scalability and efficiency in digital business operations. However, to leverage these capabilities, organizations must have either Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service or OpenAI API set up in their environment. Essentially, this indicates that ServiceNow currently relies on an external provider for its AI-powered functions. 

For organizations that already use Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service or OpenAI API, integrating this new ServiceNow functionality may be straightforward. On the other hand, for organizations without either of these services in place, the process might entail a more extensive setup, involving the selection, deployment, and integration of an external AI service with ServiceNow. This scenario also introduces potential data-sharing risks, which could outweigh the benefits of integrating an AI platform, depending on an organization's data governance policies.

Core Enhancements with ServiceNow’s GenAI

ServiceNow has introduced specific features and enhancements with GenAI to make platform experiences more intelligent and personalized:

1. Now Assist: Transforming Catalog Management

Before Now Assist, a streamlined catalog with consolidated items was considered best practice to avoid overwhelming users. Now Assist changes that approach entirely.

By leveraging AI to intuitively interpret user requests, catalog items perform best when they are concise, single-purpose entries. This precision enables the AI to guide users quickly and accurately to the most relevant resource without sifting through generalized or overly broad options.

Opportunity for Catalog Optimization

This shift offers a chance to revisit and refine catalog design with clear, strategic benefits:

• Improved Usability: Focused catalog entries enhance user navigation and ensure Now Assist can deliver precise recommendations.
• Streamlined Maintenance: Smaller, single-purpose items simplify catalog updates, making it easier to manage and reduce redundancy.
• Enhanced AI Performance: Optimized catalog entries allow Now Assist to work at its peak, ensuring users receive the right solutions faster.
• Better User Experience: Users experience less decision fatigue as they are guided directly to what they need.

To maximize these benefits, consider auditing your catalog to identify multipurpose or broad entries. Breaking them into distinct, single-purpose items aligns with Now Assist’s strengths, enabling a cleaner, more effective user experience.

2. Additional GenAI Enhancements

• Incident Prioritization and Summarization: GenAI accelerates incident management by prioritizing and summarizing issues in natural language, helping agents resolve tickets more efficiently.
• Automated Chat Responses and Knowledge Generation: Real-time AI-driven responses assist customers and employees, while automatic knowledge article generation addresses content gaps.
• Employee Self-Service Support: Leveraging natural language search and Virtual Agent, employees can effortlessly navigate tasks like benefits enrollment or equipment requests.

Balancing Agility with Privacy and Security

While GenAI offers transformative capabilities, integrating third-party AI services raises important considerations around data privacy and security. Organizations should work closely with security teams to evaluate risks, ensuring compliance with data governance policies.

Key safeguards include:

• ServiceNow's commitment to isolating customer data during processing, ensuring no co-mingling with other customers’ data.
• Collaboration with security teams to establish robust protocols for external data handling.

For organizations with stricter data governance requirements, waiting for ServiceNow's planned native AI capabilities could offer a more secure, in-platform solution, reducing reliance on external providers.

A Strategic Path Forward

ServiceNow GenAI represents a significant opportunity to scale operations, automate processes, and enhance experiences for both customers and employees. However, thoughtful planning is essential to balance the benefits with potential risks.

At Thirdera, we specialize in guiding organizations through the complexities of ServiceNow GenAI integrations. Whether configuring external AI services or customizing GenAI for your unique needs, we ensure best practices are followed every step of the way. Together, we’ll unlock the full potential of AI to elevate customer experiences and streamline your operations.