--- sourceDocument: Australia Impact sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/impact Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Impact ft:clusterId : - ipact bundleId : - ipact --- # Prevent and resolve technical debt with AI # Prevent and resolve technical debt with AI {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated November 5, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Prevent and resolve technical debt with AI This feature in ServiceNow leverages the Scan Engine and Otto AI agent to help customers prevent and remediate technical debt in their code. It supports developers in identifying and fixing coding violations either in real time as they write code or in batch mode after scanning completed code, streamlining code quality and compliance with ServiceNow best practices. Show full answer Show less ## AI-powered Code Fix Workflows * **Real-time Prevention:** Used during active code development. The Scan Engine detects violations inline when saving code, and AI generates fixes before code is committed or promoted. This workflow prevents technical debt from reaching production and reduces time spent in code reviews. * **Batch Remediation:** Applied after scans complete and findings are visible in the dashboard. Customers can review violations and generate AI fixes either in bulk or individually to clean up existing technical debt. This accelerates remediation and reduces manual development effort and errors. ## Unified AI Engine and User Experience * The same AI fix generation engine supports both prevention and remediation workflows, ensuring consistency. * ServiceNow Otto AI agent analyzes code against scan definitions and presents side-by-side comparisons of original code versus AI-suggested changes. * Users can accept, reject, or revise suggested fixes with full audit trails recorded in the active update set for compliance and traceability. * Exception workflows for Recommend-level findings follow the same process. ## AI-Suggested Fix Capabilities The AI engine addresses common coding violations such as: * Replacing deprecated API calls with current equivalents (e.g., gs.log to gs.error). * Adding missing error handlers to prevent unhandled exceptions. * Correcting scoped app API usage per ServiceNow guidelines. * Removing unsafe or deprecated functions to enhance security. * Formatting code to align with style guidelines and improve maintainability. ## Key Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * **Faster development:** Instantly apply AI-generated fixes instead of manual corrections. * **Consistency:** Enforce uniform coding standards and reduce variability. * **Learning:** Side-by-side comparisons help developers understand best practices. * **Scale:** Bulk fix generation enables efficient remediation of numerous violations. * **Reduced risk:** Fixes are based on validated patterns with full audit trails for compliance. ## Next Steps Choose the appropriate workflow based on your task: * If actively writing code and wanting to catch violations before saving, use the Real-time Prevention workflow. * If addressing existing scan findings, use the Batch Remediation workflow to apply AI-suggested fixes. Use the Scan Engine and ServiceNow Otto AI agent to prevent technical debt as you code or remediate existing findings from completed scans. ## Prevention and remediation workflows {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__two_approaches} AI-powered code fixes are available through two distinct workflows. Understanding which workflow applies to your situation helps you take action quickly. {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__two_approaches__entry__3} | Workflow | When You Use It | Outcome | |-|-|-| | Real-time Prevention | * You're actively writing or modifying code in your development environment. * When you save a record, the Scan Engine detects violations inline and you generate an AI fix before committing or promoting the code. {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__ul_nl1_yck_ckc} | * Prevents technical debt from reaching production. * Reduces time spent in code review cycles. | | Batch Remediation | * A scan has completed and findings are displayed in the findings dashboard. * You review the list of violations and generate AI fixes in bulk or individually to clean existing technical debt. {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__ul_mkj_zck_ckc} | * Accelerates remediation of existing issues. * Reduces manual development effort and errors when fixing production code. | [Table 1. AI-powered code fix workflows] ## Unified AI engine {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__unified_ai_engine} Whether you're preventing technical debt during development or remediating findings from scans, you interact with the same AI fix generation engine. * ServiceNow Otto AI agent analyzes your code against scan definitions * Side-by-side code comparison interface shows original code versus suggested changes * You accept, reject, or revise suggested fixes using the same controls * Exception workflows for Recommend level findings follow the same process * All changes are tracked in your active update set with full audit trails ## AI-suggested fix capabilities {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__ai_fix_capabilities} The AI fix engine handles common coding violations quickly and accurately. Common fix types include the following: * Replacing deprecated API calls with current equivalents, for example, gs.log to gs.error * Adding missing error handlers to prevent unhandled exceptions * Correcting scoped app API usage to match ServiceNow general guidelines * Removing unsafe or deprecated functions to improve security * Formatting code to match style guidelines and improve maintainability ## Key benefits {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__key_benefits} * Faster development: Developers can apply AI-generated fixes instantly instead of manually reviewing and correcting code * Consistency: All fixes follow the same coding standards and patterns, reducing variability across your codebase * Learning: Side-by-side code comparisons help developers understand ServiceNow general guidelines and leading practices * Scale: Bulk generate fixes to remediate dozens of violations in one workflow instead of fixing them individually * Reduced risk: AI fixes are generated from validated patterns and include full audit trails for compliance ## Next steps {#prevent-resolve-technical-debt-ai__next_steps} Choose the workflow that matches your current task. * You're writing code and want to catch violations before saving, See [Use Real-time prevention monitoring while coding](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/2u12Mrp4pctDa9dzpV15hw "As you write and save code, the Scan Engine detects violations in real-time and displays findings inline. You can then generate an AI-suggested fix before committing your changes.") * A scan has completed and you want to fix existing findings, See [Remediate existing findings with AI-suggested fixes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/1dymKwKaGh4X9GuOJH3KNg "After a scan completes and populates findings, use the AI-Eligible Findings dashboard to generate and apply AI-suggested fixes in bulk or individually to accelerate remediation of technical debt.").