Combined Generative AI Controller release notes for upgrades from Yokohama to Zurich

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Combined Generative AI Controller release notes for upgrades from Yokohama to Zurich

Release version: Zurich

Updated August 11, 2026

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Summary of Combined Generative AI Controller release notes for upgrades from Yokohama to Zurich

This consolidated guide summarizes the key updates, new features, changes, and important upgrade information for the Generative AI Controller as you transition from Yokohama to Zurich releases. The Generative AI Controller is a component of the ServiceNow AI Platform activated through Now Assist applications, enabling AI-driven capabilities within your ServiceNow environment.

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Before upgrading to Zurich, it is essential to review the pre- and post-upgrade tasks to ensure a smooth transition. The controller is installed or updated alongside Now Assist applications, and support resources are available if installation issues arise.

New Features

Administrator Access to Gen AI Logs: Both Yokohama Patch 10 and Zurich Patch 4 provide administrators access to the sysgenerativeailog table for debugging, with HR data restricted to HR admins.
Enhanced AI Asset Inventory: Metadata enhancements in the Model (sysgenerativeaimodelconfig) and Prompt (sysgenerativeaiconfig) tables improve visibility into AI asset status and life-cycle details, including retirement dates, accessible via AI Control Tower.
AI Model Version Mappings: Introduced in Yokohama Patch 8 and refined in Zurich Patch 2, this feature allows review of mappings between AI model versions and providers in the sysgenaimodelversionmapping table, including metadata like skill type and resource associations.
Third-Party LLM Information: Access via sysgenailogmetadata table to identify LLM model, version, and language used for content generation.
Domain-Based LLM Usage Restrictions: Ability to enable or disable Now Assist per domain to control AI data processing usage.
Global Model Selection: Yokohama Patch 1 introduced the ability for Now Assist admins to select between GPT-4.0 and Now Assist LLM models globally for compliance and regional suitability.
Long-Term Stable (LTS) Model: Zurich Patch 4 introduces an LTS model for generative AI ensuring regulatory alignment, predictable behavior, and lifecycle stability for entitled users.

Changes

Now Assist Usage Measurement: Starting with Yokohama Patch 5 and continuing in Zurich Patch 5, usage measurement shifts from a 365-day look-back model to a 365-day burn-down model, resetting at contract anniversary dates. This affects how AI usage is tracked and billed.
Default Skill Activation: Yokohama Patch 11 updates default behavior so certain Now Assist skills are enabled automatically for new customers and unconfigured skills for existing customers during upgrades.
Data Privacy Handling: Transition from Sensitive Data Handler to the Data Privacy application for anonymizing personally identifiable information (PII), requiring administrators to configure anonymization rules accordingly.
Removal of Direct Action Calls: Zurich Patch 5 removes direct action calls from Generative AI Controller to enforce security via Access Control Lists (ACLs). Custom generative AI workflows should now use the Now Assist Skill Kit.

Removed and Deprecated Features

No features were removed between Yokohama and Zurich releases. The dependency on Sensitive Data Handler was removed in Yokohama, with migration to Data Privacy application during upgrade.

Activation and Additional Requirements

Generative AI Controller is activated through Now Assist applications in both Yokohama and Zurich releases. There are no new additional or browser-specific requirements introduced in Zurich.

Localization and Accessibility

Localization: Zurich release incorporates Microsoft Azure OEM for Dynamic Translation in Now Assist, enabling multi-language support configurable via the Now Assist Admin console.
Accessibility: No changes or new requirements were noted for accessibility compliance.

Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

Prepare for upgraded AI asset tracking and enhanced debugging capabilities by leveraging new metadata tables and logs.
Review and configure domain restrictions and global model selection to maintain compliance with regional or organizational policies.
Adjust to the new usage measurement model to accurately track AI consumption and forecast costs.
Transition custom AI workflows to the Now Assist Skill Kit due to removal of direct action calls for improved security.
Enable dynamic translation features if multi-language support is required in your AI interactions.

Consolidated page of all release notes for Generative AI Controller from Yokohama to Zurich.

How to use this page

To help you prepare for your upgrade, we have combined the cross-family Generative AI Controller release notes onto one page. Read this summary of the new features, changes, and updated information for your product from Yokohama to Zurich.

Tip:

If there were no updates for a release notes section in a certain family release, we included a short note for your reference. For example, if a product did not have any updates in Tokyo, the row says "No updates for this release."

Important information for upgrading Generative AI Controller to Zurich

Before you upgrade to Zurich, review these pre- and post-upgrade tasks and complete the tasks as needed.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	Generative AI Controller is installed and updated when you install or update any Now Assist application. If you have issues installing or updating applications, see this knowledge article for steps that may address your issue. Otherwise, you can make a Support case.
Zurich	Generative AI Controller is installed or updated when you install or update a Now Assist application. If you have issues installing or updating applications, see this knowledge article or open a support case.

New features

Between your current release family and Zurich, new features were introduced for Generative AI Controller.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	Yokohama Patch 10 Administrator access to Gen AI log Access the Gen AI log [sys_generative_ai_log] table to gain insights for debugging purposes. HR-related records remain restricted to HR admins. Enhanced AI asset inventory Track the enhanced AI asset inventory through AI Control Tower using new metadata fields in the Model [sys_generative_ai_model_config] and Prompt [sys_generative_ai_config] tables. Gain better visibility into AI asset status and life-cycle details, such as retirement dates. Yokohama Patch 8 AI Model Version Mappings Review the mappings between AI model versions, their providers in the Gen AI Model Version Mapping [sys_gen_ai_model_version_mapping] table. It shows mapping between source and target models, along with associated metadata, such as skill type, model type, resource associations, and provider information. Yokohama Patch 6 Identify third-party LLM information Access the Gen AI Log Metadata [sys_gen_ai_log_metadata] table to identify which LLM model, version, and requested language was used to generate the AI content. Restrict LLM usage based on the domain Enable or disable Now Assist for each domain so that you can restrict the use of LLMs and avoid using AI for data processing, if needed. Yokohama Patch 1 Global Model selection for conversational skills Enable Now Assist Admins to choose between GPT4.o and Now Assist LLM model for data routing at a global level. This ensures compliance with any regional restrictions and helpful for APAC users who may face limitations with US-based models, such as GPT-4.0.
Zurich	Zurich Patch 4 Administrator access to Gen AI log Access the Gen AI log [sys_generative_ai_log] table to gain insights for debugging purposes. HR-related records remain restricted to HR admins. Enhanced AI asset inventory Track the enhanced AI asset inventory through AI Control Tower using new metadata fields in the Model [sys_generative_ai_model_config] and Prompt [sys_generative_ai_config] tables. Gain better visibility into AI asset status and life-cycle details, such as retirement dates. Long-Term Stable model for generative AI Promote stability and adoption for entitled users with a Long-Term Stable (LTS) model. The LTS model provides regulatory alignment, predictable behavior, and life cycle stability to integrate GenAI with confidence. Zurich Patch 2 AI Model Version Mappings Review the mappings between AI model versions and their providers in the Gen AI Model Version Mapping [sys_gen_ai_model_version_mapping] table. This table shows the mappings between source and target models, along with associated metadata, such as skill type, model type, resource associations, and provider information. Identify third-party LLM information Access the Gen AI Log Metadata [sys_gen_ai_log_metadata] table to identify which LLM model, version, and requested language was used to generate the AI content. Restrict LLM usage based on the domain Enable or disable Now Assist for each domain so that you can restrict the use of LLMs and avoid using AI for data processing, if needed.

Changes

Between your current release family and Zurich, some changes were made to existing Generative AI Controller features.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	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. Yokohama Patch 1 Configure Data Privacy and Data Discovery to protect the personally identifying information (PII) of your users. Generative AI Controller has changed to use the Data Privacy application instead of the Sensitive Data Handler to help anonymize PII. The process for choosing what gets anonymized and how has shifted to different tables and forms that your administrator must configure for your organization.
Zurich	Zurich Patch 5 Changes to Now Assist usage measurement Starting with Zurich 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. Direct action calls removed from Generative AI Controller Starting with Zurich Patch 5, the Generative AI Controller (GAIC) no longer supports direct action calls in order to support the security requirements that all AI capabilities be protected by Access Control Lists (ACLs). To create custom generative AI functionality, use Now Assist Skill Kit instead. Configure actions in the Generative AI Controller Generate Content to create AI-generated text responses QnA to answer user questions Summarize to shorten long or complex text Generic Prompt to generate ideas or content on any topic Sentiment Analysis to identify the sentiment of user input For more information, refer to KB KB2716977: Generative AI Controller actions are no longer avaliable for custom workflows.

Removed

Between your current release family and Zurich, some Generative AI Controller features or functionality were removed.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	No updates for this release.
Zurich	No updates for this release.

Deprecations

Between your current release family and Zurich, some Generative AI Controller features or functionality were deprecated.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	The dependency on Sensitive Data Handler has been removed. Regular expressions that are configured with Sensitive Data Handler are applied to the Data Privacy application with a fix script when you upgrade to Yokohama.
Zurich	No updates for this release.

Activation information

Review information on how to activate Generative AI Controller.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	Generative AI Controller is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that is available with activation of a Now Assist application. For details, see Installing Generative AI Controller and Install Now Assist plugins.
Zurich	Generative AI Controller is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that is available with activation of a Now Assist application. For details, see Installing Generative AI Controller and Install Now Assist plugins.

Additional requirements

If any additional requirements were introduced or changed for Generative AI Controller we have noted them here.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	No updates for this release.
Zurich	No updates for this release.

Browser requirements

If any specific browser requirements were introduced or changed for Generative AI Controller we have noted them here.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	No updates for this release.
Zurich	No updates for this release.

Accessibility information

Review details on accessibility information for Generative AI Controller, such as specific requirements or compliance levels.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	No updates for this release.
Zurich	No updates for this release.

Localization information

If there are specific localization considerations for Generative AI Controller we have noted them here.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	No updates for this release.
Zurich	Generative AI Controller uses Microsoft Azure OEM for Dynamic Translation in Now Assist for multilanguage support. You can enable dynamic translation from the Now Assist Admin console. For more information, see Microsoft Azure OEM for Dynamic Translation in Now Assist.

Highlight information

If there are specific highlight considerations for Generative AI Controller we have noted them here.


Release	Release notes
Yokohama	Yokohama Patch 11 Review changes to Now Assist usage measurement. Some Now Assist skills, agents, and agentic workflows are on by default. Additional role configuration is required for agentic workflows and AI agents included with Now Assist applications. Previous Patch releases Protect your users by configuring settings for anonymization of personally identifiable information (PII) with the Data Privacy application. See Generative AI Controller for more information.
Zurich	Zurich Patch 5 Review changes to Now Assist usage measurement. Zurich Patch 4 Access the Gen AI log for debugging insights, with HR-related records remaining restricted. Promote stability with the Long-Term Stable (LTS) model for generative AI. Identify third-party LLM information, including model, version, and language. Restrict LLM usage based on domain. See Generative AI Controller for more information.