Enterprise software companies everywhere are working to bring more workflow automation and AI into their platforms. ServiceNow has been doing this for a while, building more sophisticated models that take into account the types of data they collect through interactions on the platform.
Some of the shift to AI will come from building in-house, some will come from acquisition, and some will come from broader partnerships, says Philip Kirk, SVP of Corporate Business Development. . But whatever the source, he says, it all helps build a stronger platform.
“Right now, deciding whether to build, buy or partner is kind of like a three-dimensional chess game. How can we make decisions that are in the best interests of our customers, and I think that's what sets us apart from what we perceive to be world-class, which is enterprise automation. Our platform. ,” Kirk told TechCrunch.
Lara Greden, an IDC analyst covering ServiceNow, says going beyond building is a big part of every company's strategy when it comes to AI. “Acquisitions and strategic partnerships are essential components of corporate strategy in the AI era,” Greden told TechCrunch.
“As with any major wave of technology innovation, the breakthrough capabilities of generative AI are coming through startups, companies focused on the technology itself. It is consistent with our expectations to be an accelerating leader.”
ServiceNow has built on this with its latest release called “Washington DC.” Jeremy Barnes, his vice president of AI products at ServiceNow, said the company is employing generative AI in a way that makes sense in the context of the information the platform monitors and collects. He joined the company at the end of 2020 when his predecessor, Element AI, was acquired. This means offering certain capabilities to customers who want to leverage generative AI in a customer service context without having to build it themselves.
“And if you look at what's coming up with the release in Washington, you'll see all kinds of capabilities that companies wouldn't have actually developed and built, or people who want to develop AI projects, to be able to put together evidence. “There are all sorts of capabilities being offered that they wouldn't have had. It makes perfect sense for us to build this concept into a platform for them,” he said.
Keith Kirkpatrick, an analyst at Futurum Group, said ServiceNow makes it easy for anyone with some domain knowledge to build things like intelligent workflows without having to hire a developer or workflow expert. I am.
“ServiceNow is focused on integrating generative AI to improve entire workflows, not just single processes or tasks. “It's a key differentiator for the company because it can intelligently automate multi-step processes,” Kirkpatrick said.
Virtual agents, or AI agents, also play a central role in this release, which makes sense given ServiceNow's ability to help answer customer questions and complete tasks. And just as ServiceNow is building his AI capabilities for customers, Graden said it is working with partners in areas that make sense outside of their areas of expertise.
“The company's focus on conversational capabilities in Virtual Agent is important because getting conversational generative AI right offers great ROI potential for end customers. But getting it right It’s not easy,” she said. “This is one of the reasons why platform vendors are strategic partners of choice for organizations in the AI era, because they can take on the data science work to make the technology work and work well. ” It also plays a key role in guiding customers on best practices around data governance and control. ”
The Washington release will be available to all ServiceNow customers starting Wednesday.