Exploring AI Desktop Actions

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated November 2, 2025
  • 4 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 Exploring AI Desktop Actions

    AI Desktop Actions is a no-code ServiceNow solution that automates repetitive tasks on legacy desktop and web applications lacking APIs or backend integrations. It uses AI agents from the ServiceNow AI Platform to perform UI-based tasks and orchestrate end-to-end workflows. Desktop actions act as tools for AI agents, enabling interaction with desktop and web environments to execute defined or adaptive automation sequences.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Defined Path Desktop Actions: Automate fixed sequences on desktop applications using the AI Desktop Actions client app for Windows. It provides a Design workspace for creating multi-step processes by recording or manual capture, and an Execution workspace that runs automations in isolated desktop sessions triggered automatically via the Now Assist panel.
    • Adaptive Path Desktop Actions: Automate web-based tasks involving dynamic steps through AI Agent Studio configurations. When triggered, AI agents open browser tabs and perform tasks with progress visible via screenshots in the Now Assist panel. The workflow adjusts based on page state, requiring output review for accuracy.
    • Integration with ServiceNow Workflows: AI Desktop Actions integrates with AI Agent Studio to publish, manage, and embed desktop actions into broader ServiceNow workflows, enabling automation across cloud and desktop applications.
    • Task Mining to Automation Pipeline: Desktop actions can be created from task mining insights through a five-stage process involving Process Mining, Task Mining data capture and analysis, automation generation in Automation Center, AI agent validation in AI Agent Studio, and execution via AI Desktop Actions.
    • User Impersonation: Supports triggering AI agents under impersonated user contexts with appropriate roles (snaia.admin for AI Agent Studio and nowassistpaneluser for execution) to maintain security and role compliance.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    With AI Desktop Actions, customers can:

    • Automate repetitive and manual tasks in desktop and web applications without native APIs.
    • Create reliable, repeatable workflows through defined path automations and handle dynamic web tasks with adaptive path automations.
    • Leverage task mining insights to identify and convert improvement opportunities into automated desktop actions and AI agents.
    • Integrate desktop automation seamlessly with existing ServiceNow AI workflows, broadening automation reach.
    • Run automations securely with role-based access and user impersonation support.

    Next Steps

    To effectively implement AI Desktop Actions, ServiceNow customers should explore:

    • Configuration details for AI Desktop Actions.
    • Creating and managing defined path desktop actions.
    • Developing AI agents tailored for desktop action execution.
    • Examples of building and running desktop actions using AI agents.
    • System requirements and limitations to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

    Create desktop actions with AI Desktop Actions to automate repetitive tasks on your desktop and web environment using AI agents and agentic workflows.

    AI Desktop Actions overview

    AI Desktop Actions is a no-code solution that helps you automate repetitive tasks in legacy desktop and web-based applications lacking APIs or backend integrations. AI Desktop Actions leverages AI agents created in the ServiceNow AI Platform to interact with desktop and web applications, perform UI-based tasks, and automate end-to-end workflows.

    Desktop actions are tools used by AI agents—they are not AI agents themselves. Think of it this way:
    • AI Agent: The orchestrator that receives user requests and coordinates task execution
    • Desktop Action Tool: The capability the AI agent uses to interact with desktop or web applications

    Defined path desktop actions for desktop and web-based tasks

    You can use AI Desktop Actions to execute predefined automation sequences on your desktop. Defined path actions provide consistent, repeatable workflows for common desktop tasks. AI Desktop Actions is a client application that is installed on the Windows operating system. The app offers two workspaces, the Design workspace, where you create and configure desktop automations, and the Execution workspace, where those automations run. The Design workspace enables you to automate multi-step processes by recording with AI or manually capturing a fixed sequence of steps. Execution workspace enables AI agents to execute desktop actions in an isolated desktop session.

    The Design workspace lets you build multi-step desktop actions by recording or manually capturing steps. The Execution workspace runs desktop actions in an isolated desktop session and is launched automatically when you test a desktop action or trigger an automation from the Now Assist panel. You don't open the Execution workspace manually. For more information, see Defined path desktop actions for desktop and web-based tasks.

    Adaptive path desktop actions for web-based tasks

    You can automate web-based tasks that involve adaptive steps using desktop actions. You create desktop actions in AI Agent Studio as part of a tool configuration for an AI agent. When a user triggers an AI agent from the Now Assist panel, the AI agent uses the desktop action tool to open a separate browser tab and performs the task. Screenshots of each step appear in the Web view tab of the Now Assist panel enhanced chat so you can monitor progress. For example, opening the application, selecting fields, and completing a workflow. The AI agent checks the state of the page and adjusts the sequence based on the user's goal. Because the steps are adjusted dynamically, results may vary. Review the output for accuracy before accepting it. For more information, see Adaptive path desktop actions for web-based tasks.

    How it fits into ServiceNow workflows

    AI Desktop Actions integrates with AI Agent Studio, enabling you to publish, manage, and incorporate desktop actions into your broader ServiceNow workflows. This integration lets you automate both cloud and desktop applications, giving your AI agents broader capabilities within ServiceNow.

    Creating desktop actions from Task Mining

    Build desktop automations by transforming task mining observations into production-ready desktop actions and AI agents through five integrated stages.

    Stage 1: Process Mining
    Process analysts identify improvement opportunities in Process Mining and create a Task Mining project.
    Stage 2: Task Mining
    • Workstation users capture desktop activities using Task Mining agent for the Task Mining project. Captured desktop activities are stored as tasks in Task Mining.
    • Task Mining analyst run a mining job on the Task Mining project to generate an analysis of the collected data.
    • Task Mining analysts review the task timeline to define specific optimization opportunities and automation candidates, and submit automation requests.
    Stage 3: Automation Center
    Automation developers generate automations to automatically create desktop actions in Automation Center.
    Stage 4: AI Agent Studio
    Automation developers verify auto-generated agent description, agent steps, and associated desktop action tools. Test and deploy the AI agent in AI Agent Studio.
    Stage 5: AI Desktop Actions
    • Automation developers verify the anchors and steps of on-screen task desktop actions.
    • End-users trigger AI agents that execute desktop actions in the Execution workspace of AI Desktop Actions.

    Impersonating users

    You can trigger AI agents from the Now Assist panel while impersonating another user, provided the impersonated user has the required roles. The sn_aia.admin role is required to use AI Agent Studio, and the now_assist_panel_user role is required to trigger AI agents that execute desktop actions in the Execution workspace. For more information, see Impersonating users.

    What to explore next

    To learn more about configuring and using AI Desktop Actions, see: