1. What is AI Search
AI Search in ServiceNow is a smart way to find information quickly and easily.
Unlike traditional search engines that rely only on keyword matching, AI Search uses:
User intent
Context of the search query
Popular results
User Response
Content relevance
This allows the system to provide smarter and more personalised search results.
AI Search can retrieve information from multiple sources including:
Knowledge articles
Service catalog items
Incidents and requests
HR cases
Custom tables
It also supports natural language search, meaning users can type questions such as:
“How do I reset my password?”
“Laptop request”
“VPN access issue”
2. Why ServiceNow Moved from Zing Search to AI Search?
Before AI Search, ServiceNow used Zing Search, which was primarily a keyword-based indexing engine.
Although Zing Search worked well for simple searches, it had several limitations:
Limited understanding of user intent
Static ranking of results
No personalisation
Limited integration with AI features
To overcome these limitations, ServiceNow introduced AI Search.
Comparison: Zing Search vs AI Search
| Feature | Zing Search | Ai Search |
| Search Type | Keyword-based | AI and ML-based |
| Result Ranking | Static | Dynamic AI ranking |
| Personalisation | Not supported | Role and Response based |
| Natural Language Queries | Limited | Fully supported |
| Integration with AI | No | Yes |
| Learning Capability | No | Learns from user Response |
3. Where AI Search is Used in ServiceNow
AI Search is integrated across several ServiceNow applications and interfaces.
- Employee Center / Service Portal
- Agent Workspace
- Virtual Agent
- Knowledge Management
- Global Search Bar
4. Architecture of AI Search
AI Search architecture consists of several key components that work together to deliver intelligent search results.
1. Search Sources
Search sources define what type of content users can search.
Examples:
Knowledge Base
Service Catalog
Incidents
Communities
HR Cases
Each search source is mapped to a specific table.
Example:
| Knowledge | kb_knowledge |
| Catalog Items | sc_cat_item |
| Incidents | incident |
2. AI Search Indexed Sources
Indexed sources define which tables are indexed by AI Search.
Indexing allows the system to retrieve results quickly.
For example, when the incident table is indexed, users can search incidents instantly.
Indexed sources are stored in the AI Search Indexed Sources table.
3. Search Profiles
Search profiles control which search sources are visible to users.
Different user roles may have different search experiences.
Examples:
Employee Search Profile
Agent Workspace Search Profile
HR Portal Search Profile
A profile determines:
Which sources appear
Result ranking
Search behavior
4. Result Actions
Result actions define what happens when a user clicks a search result.
Examples:
Open record
Open knowledge article
Navigate to catalog item
5. AI Ranking Model
AI Search uses machine learning algorithms to rank results based on:
Click-through rates
User interactions
Popular results
Relevance scores
Over time, the system learns which results are most useful.
5. How to Configure and Use AI Search
1: Activate AI Search Plugin: sn_aisearch_global
Note: As of now, the AI search is not available for PDI instances.
2: Configure Indexed Sources
AI Search → Indexed Sources
Create indexed sources for tables such as:
Knowledge
Catalog Items
Incidents
After configuration, run indexing so data becomes searchable.
3: Create Search Sources
AI Search → Search Sources
Define which tables will appear in search results.
Example:
Search Source: Knowledge Articles
Table: kb_knowledge
4: Create Search Profiles
AI Search → Search Profiles
Create a profile and add search sources to it.
Example:
Employee Search Profile includes:
Knowledge
Catalog Items
Communities
5: Test AI Search
Once configuration is complete:
Open Employee Center or Service Portal
Use the search bar
Verify search results appear correctly
Example: "Password Reset Issue"
AI Search displays:
Password reset knowledge article
Password reset catalog request
Related troubleshooting guide
AI Search will start learning from user interactions.
6. Benefits and Usefulness of AI Search
- Faster Information Retrieval
- Improved Self-Service
- Higher Agent Productivity
- Intelligent Search Experience
- Reduced Support Costs
Conclusion:
AI Search is a powerful enhancement in ServiceNow that significantly improves the way users find information across the platform. By replacing traditional keyword-based search with AI-driven capabilities, AI Search delivers faster, smarter, and more personalised results.
