ServiceNow AI Lens release notes

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated March 19, 2025
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of ServiceNow AI Lens Release Notes

    ServiceNow AI Lens, introduced in the Yokohama release, is a Now Assist application leveraging generative AI to scan, extract, comprehend, and synthesize data from various artifacts to optimize workflows. It enables automatic data extraction and auto-filling of form fields, reducing manual entry and improving productivity. AI Lens integrates with multiple ServiceNow platforms including Now Mobile®, Service Portal, Virtual Agent, and can be launched from forms or as a standalone application.

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    Key Features

    • Data Extraction and Auto-fill: AI Lens scans visual data like images, handwritten notes, emails, and forms to auto-populate fields in Incident, Catalog Item, and other forms.
    • Multi-Platform Triggers: Trigger AI Lens from Now Mobile®, Service Portal, Virtual Agent conversations, workspace forms, or standalone mode for versatile usage.
    • Lens Actions Customization: Configure default instructions, trigger options, custom context, response transformation, and post-processing logic to tailor AI Lens behavior for different use cases.
    • Image Attachment: Captured images used for auto-filling are automatically attached to related records for traceability and review.
    • Multiple AI Model Providers: Support for Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude on AWS, and Azure OpenAI, giving flexibility in AI model selection.
    • Enhanced UI: Updated scanner window UI improves usability with toolbar placement adjustments and preview capabilities.
    • Post-Processing Controls: Options to wait for or asynchronously handle post-processing results with configurable timeout settings.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Increased Efficiency: Automates data entry by extracting information from various sources, significantly reducing manual workload and errors.
    • Improved User Experience: Enables mobile and portal users to quickly complete forms using AI-assisted data capture.
    • Customization and Integration: Flexible Lens actions allow customers to adapt AI Lens to their specific processes and integrate it seamlessly within the ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Traceability: Auto-attached images provide transparency and context for decisions made based on extracted data.
    • Scalable AI Options: Multiple AI providers ensure customers can choose the best fit for their organizational AI strategy.

    Activation and Usage

    ServiceNow AI Lens requires activation of any Now Assist plugin via the ServiceNow Store. It is designed to complement Now Assist’s suite of generative AI skills and can be managed through the Now Assist Admin console. Usage measurement for Now Assist follows a 365-day burn-down model aligned with contract anniversaries, with certain skills enabled by default for new and upgraded customers.

    With ServiceNow AI Lens, which is a ServiceNow® Now Assist application, you can use generative AI to scan, extract, comprehend, and synthesize data to optimize your workflows. ServiceNow AI Lens is a new application in the Yokohama release.

    ServiceNow AI Lens highlights for the Yokohama release

    Yokohama Patch 11
    • Trigger ServiceNow AI Lens from the Now Mobile® application to extract data from artifacts and auto-fill fields in a form.
    • Fill the Catalog Item form fields by triggering ServiceNow AI Lens from Service Portal.
    Yokohama Patch 6
    • Use the Lens actions to define default instructions, trigger options, custom context, transform response logic, and post processing instructions for ServiceNow AI Lens execution.
    • Configure Lens actions to launch ServiceNow AI Lens from any part of the ServiceNow AI Platform, such as a workspace form or a portal.
    • Trigger ServiceNow AI Lens from a Virtual Agent conversation on a mobile device or in a portal.
    • View captured images that are now attached to the record that is auto-filled using ServiceNow AI Lens.
    • Use Google Gemini and Anthropic Claude on AWS as AI model providers for ServiceNow AI Lens in addition to Azure OpenAI.
    Yokohama Patch 3
    • Boost productivity by scanning artifacts and auto-filling information into forms instead of manually entering the information into forms.
    • Provide specific instructions to ServiceNow AI Lens on what to do with the data that it captures.
    • Get insights from multiple images so that you know what actions to do next.

    See ServiceNow AI Lens for more information.

    Important:
    ServiceNow AI Lens is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes.

    New in the Yokohama release

    Yokohama Patch 11
    Auto-fill the Catalog Item form in the Service Portal
    Fill the Catalog Item form fields by triggering ServiceNow AI Lens from Service Portal. ServiceNow AI Lens extracts data from one or more artifacts and auto-fills the relevant fields in the form.
    Handle post-processing in the standalone mode
    The following fields have been added to handle post-processing timeout for previewing data in the standalone mode:
    • Wait for processed response: Option to wait for ServiceNow AI Lens to display the output of post-processing on the Preview window. If turned on, it waits for the post-processing output. If turned off, it doesn't wait for post-processing output, but post-processing continues in the background.
    • Max wait time: Maximum time ServiceNow AI Lens waits to display the output of post-processing. If the output doesn't appear within this duration, the session times out while the post-processing continues in the background until complete.
    Use ServiceNow AI Lens in Now Mobile®
    Trigger ServiceNow AI Lens from the Now Mobile® application to extract data from artifacts and auto-fill forms on your mobile device.
    Yokohama Patch 6
    ServiceNow AI Lens UI enhancement
    Use ServiceNow AI Lens to launch the scanner window by using the context defined in Lens actions or as a standalone application. You can preview the gathered insights or extracted data. You can also see the logged-in user and instance details.
    Use Lens actions to customize Lens behavior
    • Define Lens behavior depending on how ServiceNow AI Lens is triggered and what context is set. With Lens actions, you can customize how a classic form is auto-filled. You can define default instructions, trigger options, custom context, transform response logic, and post processing instructions for the ServiceNow AI Lens execution.

      For example, you can define a Lens action that is used when Lens is triggered from an instance to populate a form of a table. You can also define form fields that must be used as context.

    • As part of your integration logic, configure a Lens action as one of the steps to invoke a ServiceNow AI Lens service from any part of the ServiceNow AI Platform, such as a workspace form or portal.
    Use ServiceNow AI Lens in Virtual Agent
    Trigger ServiceNow AI Lens from a Virtual Agent conversation by using ServiceNow AI Lens topic in Virtual Agent.
    Auto-attach images to a record
    View captured images that are automatically attached to the record that is auto-filled using ServiceNow AI Lens. You can view the images to understand the source of the auto-filled information.
    New third-party AI model provider options available for all Now Assist applications
    Use Google Gemini and Anthropic Claude on AWS as AI model providers for ServiceNow AI Lens in addition to Azure OpenAI.
    Yokohama Patch 3
    Capture data
    Get actionable insights from such visual data as images, handwritten notes and forms, emails, websites, and applications. For example, ServiceNow AI Lens can scan an email to gather data for auto-filling the fields on the Incident form.
    Act on visual data
    Provide instructions to Now Assist on what to do with the captured data. For example, you can convert the extracted data into a JSON format.
    Launch from ServiceNow forms
    Launch ServiceNow AI Lens from a form to fill the extracted data automatically into the form fields.
    Use as a standalone application
    Use ServiceNow AI Lens as a standalone application for previewing extracted data when you're connected to a ServiceNow instance.

    UI changes

    Yokohama Patch 11
    Changes in the scanner window UI
    The UI of the scanner window has been changed. See the following image.Screenshot of the Lens scanner new UI.

    When you open the scanner window, the toolbar is displayed outside of it. However, when you maximize the window, the toolbar moves inside.

    Changed in this release

    Yokohama Patch 11
    Changes to Now Assist usage measurement
    Starting with Yokohama Patch 5, Now Assist usage measurement is transitioning from a 365-day look-back model to a 365-day burn-down model, with usage resetting at the contract anniversary date. For more information, refer to KB KB2704710: Now Assist Usage - Overview & New Measurement Logic.
    Some Now Assist skills are turned on by default
    The new default behavior works as follows:
    • New customers: When you install a Now Assist product, designated skills are turned on automatically.
    • Existing customers who are upgrading (starting with Yokohama Patch 11): Any previously unconfigured skill is turned on automatically (the skill was never configured and turned on, then turned off again). Previously configured skills that were turned on, then off, remain inactive.

    Activation information

    ServiceNow AI Lens is available with activation of any Now Assist plugin from the ServiceNow Store. For more information about the prerequisites for using ServiceNow AI Lens, see Configure ServiceNow AI Lens.