---
sourceDocument: Zurich Conversational Interfaces
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/conversational-interfaces

 Release :

    - zurich

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Zurich Conversational Interfaces

ft:clusterId :

    - convint

bundleId :

    - convint

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Explore

# Exploring Virtual Agent {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Zurich  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read  
The ServiceNow Virtual Agent platform provides user assistance through conversations within an intelligent messaging interface.
Design and build automated conversations with an out-of-the-box system that help your users quickly obtain information, make decisions, and perform common work tasks with Virtual Agent.{#exploring-virtual-agent__virtual-agent-desc2}

## Overview of Virtual Agent {#exploring-virtual-agent__section_ljr_bwy_1bc}

Virtual Agent helps solve ordinary issues and delivers results for common requests, leaving your agents and technicians free to focus on more complex user issues. You can change the look and feel
of the chat experience to suit each audience for your business, including running your chatbot in a variety of common or custom messaging channels. Use the Assistant Designer Analytics tab to monitor your bot's success.

Your developers have access to large language model (LLM) topic discovery. Assistant Designer includes LLM controls that make topic authoring easier so that you can deliver self-service solutions more quickly.

## AI agents in Virtual Agent {#exploring-virtual-agent__section_dd5_v4w_dfc}

Virtual Agent supports AI agents. When a user asks a question in chat, the agent understands the query and can reason, plan, and execute using tools such as the following:

* AI agents
* Virtual Agent topics
* Conversational actions and subflows
* Catalogs
* Knowledge articles
* Generative AI skills
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Virtual Agent supports multi-intent queries with AI agents if there are associated AI agents per user query.

## Prebuilt Virtual Agent topics {#exploring-virtual-agent__section_glm_fbz_1bc}

Prebuilt Virtual Agent topics are available from the ServiceNow Store. These topics are designed to handle common issues that can occur and are customized for ServiceNow workflows. Available plugins include the following:

* [ITSM Virtual Agent conversations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=itsm-virtual-agent&version=zurich&pubname=zurich-it-service-management&ft:locale=en-US)
* [Customer Service Virtual Agent conversations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=activate-virtual-agent-csm&version=zurich&pubname=zurich-customer-service-management&ft:locale=en-US)
* [HR Service Delivery Virtual Agent conversations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=hr-virtual-agent-conversations&version=zurich&pubname=zurich-employee-service-management&ft:locale=en-US)
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## Virtual Agent availability {#exploring-virtual-agent__section_blr_1zc_gmb}

The Virtual Agent platform is available as a professional subscription or in a limited version (Virtual Agent Lite) that is automatically included with the ServiceNow AI Platform®.  
Virtual Agent Professional provides all the core functionality for creating and deploying Virtual Agent conversations. Virtual Agent includes the following features, which are automatically installed with the Glide Virtual Agent plugin (com.glide.cs.chatbot):

* Virtual Agent chat widget
* Virtual Agent notifications
* Conversational custom chat integration framework
* Conversational Interfaces console for admin configuration
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## Virtual Agent benefits {#exploring-virtual-agent__section_o3d_bf3_fwb}

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| Benefit | Feature | Role |
|-|-|-|
| Use a conversation designer to build and test conversations without scripting or advanced skills. Drag and drop elements on the graphical canvas to see the entire flow. Go further with branching, looping, and scripting. | [Virtual Agent Designer](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9Z0i~KW2SyGISDnGBW6Llg "The Assistant Designer Asset library includes a diagram tool for creating and managing topics, which are blueprints for conversations between a virtual agent and user. You can design topics that help your users resolve common work issues or guide them through self-service tasks.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Empower users to self-serve using LLM topic discovery. Options include AI agents, enhanced or premium chat with AI Search, conversational catalog skills, and more. | [Case and incident deflection in Virtual Agent](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/321DNtMwpCHEOj6p9EQXeg "Virtual Agent provides several self-service options for your user that can help deflect tickets.") [LLM topic discovery in Virtual Agent](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bWgA_81m8ag6ZM~hRBlrrw "Large language models (LLMs) enable Virtual Agent to process user statements in plain language. Conversations that use LLMs can outperform those conversations that use Natural Language Understanding (NLU), with easier setup.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Create custom chat experiences for Virtual Agent users. | [Configuring assistants overview](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0bKmXfQyHQhSU1~pEwib6w "Use Assistant Designer to build and optimize large language model (LLM) assistants for your conversational needs. Assistant Designer is a centralized assistant administrator experience that allows you to create and manage both chat and voice assistants.") [Branding your chat client](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Aomf612OISok3rExLWY18w "Customize your chat interface with your own brand, including company logo and bot avatar, UI color schemes, fonts, and the chat support menu displayed to your users.") [Customizing a Virtual Agent chat experience](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/krtVALnGAFUALNOHLKGw6Q "Create different chat experiences for your end users based on the context in which they initiate a conversation with Virtual Agent.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Seamlessly transfer the entire conversation history and context to the right human agent so they can quickly address any escalations and resolve user issues. | [Using Virtual Agent with a live agent](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3zKsCwOK8QyqxybGAR13IA "Sometimes a conversation requires human intervention. When this occurs, you can transfer the user to a live agent in Agent Chat.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Connect to where your employees and customers already are---in web portals, Now® Mobile apps, and collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, and any other popular chat or messaging app. | [Integrating Virtual Agent with other channels](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0yza157xWtffwqLWc7v1zQ "Integrate and extend the capabilities of Virtual Agent by connecting to your employees and customers where they already are. They are engaged in web portals, Now Mobile apps, and collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger consumer app, Workplace enterprise messaging app, and any other popular chat or messaging app.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Analyze the performance of assistants in Assistant Designer. | [Analyzing assistants](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/EpN8Kq8UfhE_fbQp8Vq52g "Monitor, evaluate, and optimize the performance of your AI-powered assistants from the Analytics tab of the Assistant Designer.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Deliver real-time alerts and status updates to employees, including actionable notifications and SMS notifications. Deliver notifications via all supported channels, including web, Slack, and SMS. You can quickly collect feedback for critical decisions and resolve requests faster. | [Configuring Virtual Agent notifications](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/RGwrxoht0PLuwO24VB2SAg "Send ServiceNow notifications directly to users via the Virtual Agent chatbot on supported messaging channels. Notifications can be simple informational messages for review, or actionable messages with buttons that users can select to perform certain actions.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Serve your international Virtual Agent users, regardless of their language and locale. |   | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| Integrate with other ServiceNow AI Platform applications, such as AI Search. Use Workflow Studio to add automated workflows to conversation topics, and access many third-party services using Integration Hub spokes. | [Assign search sources to a chat assistant](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/McsFbROlMWG7OgD7h~8y~A "Assign search sources to a chat assistant. Search sources are used to determine what the assistant looks at to answer user queries.") [Integrating Virtual Agent with Workflow Studio workflows](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jnf9iFte5RQpCm28sfu2ew "The workflows of ServiceNow Workflow Studio can be integrated within ServiceNow Virtual Agent topics. You can then use these workflows in Virtual Agent conversations.") [Integration Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=integrationhub&version=zurich&pubname=zurich-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US) | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
| The Virtual Agent API enables developers, advanced users, and admins to use Virtual Agent as a standalone or secondary bot in your chat environment. Use Virtual Agent Bot Interconnect as the primary bot in a diverse chat environment. | [Virtual Agent API](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/b6pkZj9ERn5ez1tKiml3Gw "The ServiceNow Virtual Agent API is a REST API built on ServiceNow's conversational custom chat integration framework, enabling integration with enterprise or third-party chat interfaces, or as a secondary bot in multi-bot environments.") [Using Virtual Agent Bot Interconnect in your configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9ciu04eSEojzrwun00uKaA "Use Virtual Agent Bot Interconnect to create a unified chat experience across multiple channels. You can support secondary bots, such as Google Dialogflow, Microsoft Power Virtual Agents, and ServiceNow Virtual Agent.") | virtual_agent_admin or admin |
[ ]

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Note:  
For developer training, go to the [Developer's Portal](https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do) (login required). Navigate to LearnCoursesVirtual Agent.

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