AI summarization of email interactions

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated May 11, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    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 AI summarization of email interactions

    AI summarization of email interactions in ServiceNow leverages Otto generative AI capabilities to create concise summaries of email threads, including work notes and comments. This feature helps customer service agents quickly understand lengthy email conversations, allowing for more efficient issue resolution and response times. Summaries are generated on demand and presented in a structured format on the email interaction page.

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    Key Features

    • On-demand summary generation: Agents can initiate AI-generated summaries by selecting the Summarize option, which analyzes the entire email activity stream associated with the interaction.
    • Summary display: Generated summaries appear in an Interaction Summary card on the email interaction page, detailing key components of the conversation.
    • Summary components: The summary includes a concise overview of the primary customer issue, key actions taken by agents and customers, and recommended next steps based on the email content.
    • Summary refresh: While summaries are not stored and are re-generated with each request, a refresh option is available if new work notes are added (though this refresh is not currently supported for emails).
    • Access and entitlements: Customers should verify their entitlements to confirm access to AI summarization for email interactions.

    Important Considerations

    • Currently, only agent-initiated summarization is supported; automatic or system-triggered summarization is not available.
    • AI-generated summaries may not fully capture complex technical details or specialized terminology and should be reviewed by agents for accuracy and completeness.
    • Summaries are based solely on email content and do not incorporate information from other communication channels.
    • The quality of the summarization depends on the clarity and completeness of the original email thread.
    • Agents should use AI summaries as an initial aid and apply professional judgment by reviewing the original content when necessary.

    Email Interaction uses AI to generate summaries of email threads, reducing the time agents spend reading full conversation histories. Summaries can be generated on demand.

    Note:
    Check your entitlements to determine whether you have access to AI summarization for email interactions.

    AI summarization capabilities

    AI summarization for email interactions uses ServiceNow Otto generative AI capabilities to analyze email conversation threads, work notes, and comments, and generate summaries. This helps agents quickly grasp the essential information from lengthy email exchanges, reducing the time needed to understand customer issues and responding more efficiently.

    The AI summarization feature processes email content, identifies key topics and action items, then presents this information in a structured format that agents can review briefly.

    How summaries are generated

    The system generates a summary based on the full email activity stream of the interaction, including work notes when available. The summary is displayed in a summary card on the email interaction page.

    When an agent is working on an email interaction and needs an on-demand summary, the agent selects Summarize. The system generates a summary of the full email activity stream and displays it in the Interaction Summary card on the interaction page.

    Note:
    Currently, only agent-initiated summarization is supported.

    Summary storage and refresh

    Summaries are generated on demand and aren't stored on the interaction record. Each time an agent selects Summarize, the system generates a new summary based on the current email thread.

    A refresh option is available on the Interaction Summary card when new work notes are added after a summary has been generated. The refresh option for emails is not yet available.

    Summary components

    The Interaction Summary card displays the following components based on the email thread content:

    Issue
    A concise overview of the primary customer concern or request based on the email content, as shown in the Interaction Summary card.
    Key Actions Taken
    Actions taken by the agent and customer throughout the email thread.
    Next Steps
    Recommended or identified next steps based on the email conversation.

    AI limitations

    When using AI summarization for email interactions, consider the following limitations:

    • AI-generated summaries may not capture all nuances of human communication and should be reviewed by agents for accuracy.
    • Complex technical discussions or specialized terminology may not be fully interpreted by the AI model.
    • Summaries are based on available email content and may not include context from other communication channels.
    • The quality of summaries depends on the clarity and completeness of the original email content.
    • Agents should use AI summaries as a starting point for evaluating email interactions while applying their professional judgment and reviewing original content when necessary.