Agentic AI: The Evolution of Intelligent Automation in ServiceNow

[anapessan]

Ana Clara Pessan

ServiceNow Partner Talent Strategist

ana.pessan@servicenow.com

March, 5, 2025

In the world of artificial intelligence, the evolution of workflows is transforming how companies operate. Within this landscape, ServiceNow is leading the revolution with the concept of Agentic AI, an approach that takes intelligent automation to a new level.

Now Assist vs. AI Agents

In technical documents, the term used for these capabilities is Now Assist, whereas in marketing and strategic communication, we use AI Agents to reinforce the brand and differentiate the concept.

The Phases of Agentic AI 

The advancement of automation follows an evolutionary trajectory in four phases:

• Phase 1: Scripted Workflows (Past) – Automation based on predefined rules.
• Phase 2: Predictive Workflows (2023) – Predictive AI optimizing workflows.
• Phase 3: Generative AI (2024) – The use of generative AI to create responses and dynamic solutions.
• Phase 4: Agentic Workflows (2025) – Autonomous agents capable of operating with minimal human intervention.

How It Works

The AI Agentic framework consists of:

• Agentic Workflow: The why—the reason for implementing AI Agents.
• AI Agent Orchestration: Coordinates and structures AI Agents’ actions for specific use cases.
• AI Agent: The virtual agent that performs specific tasks.
• Tools: The tools and technologies AI Agents use to perform their functions.

Real Impact of AI Agents

AI Agents have already demonstrated significant gains in productivity and efficiency. Some real-world examples include:

• 18% reduction in incidents escalated to a specialist.
• 33% reduction in incident resolution time.
• 15 to 25 minutes reduction in major incident resolution time.

The Importance of Data Integration

AI Agents rely directly on efficient data integration. For optimal performance, we need a combination of AI Agents + Data + Workflows. However, one of the biggest challenges in AI is data fragmentation across silos, making intelligent automation difficult.

Professor Stuart Russell, in his book Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control, highlights the importance of developing AI systems that align with human objectives. This reinforces the need for integrated and accessible data so that autonomous agents can make efficient decisions.

Workflow Data Fabric: The Solution for Real-Time Data

The Workflow Data Fabric emerges as the key solution to this problem. It connects data in an integrated manner, ensuring real-time access for executing automated tasks.

AI Agents Across the Platform

Our key differentiator is the implementation of AI Agents across all ServiceNow modules, including:

• HR AI Agents – Automation for Human Resources.
• Operations AI Agents – Large-scale operational efficiency.
• IT AI Agents – Continuous improvement in IT processes.

Our ultimate goal? PRODUCTIVITY AT SCALE!

And it’s not just about smarter chatbots. We’re talking about autonomous, adaptable agents through AI Agent Orchestrator, ensuring centralized governance. This approach even allows control over Third-Party AI Agentswithin the platform.

Customization

A key question arises: Can organizations customize AI Agents? The answer is YES! They will be able to create their own AI Agents using AI Agent Studio, offering them as commercial products to general customers in the ServiceNow Store, or even tailoring them to a specific client. Brilliant!

The Future of Intelligent Automation

Agentic AI represents a leap toward more efficient and scalable automation. ServiceNow is paving the way to ensure that companies across industries can fully leverage this AI revolution.

This movement aligns with the vision presented by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee in their book The Second Machine Age, where they argue that AI and automation will not only replace repetitive tasks but will transform how we make decisions and innovate in business.

If your organization wants to accelerate productivity and optimize processes, AI Agents are the next step— and we’re just getting started! 

[ehoward1966]

Good info