AI Desktop Actions release notes
Summarize
Summary of AI Desktop Actions release notes
The ServiceNow AI Desktop Actions application enables customers to automate repetitive desktop tasks by designing, configuring, and managing desktop actions executed by AI agents created in AI Agent Studio. The Australia release introduces significant enhancements that improve recording accuracy, flexibility, security, and overall user experience.
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Key Features
- AI-Powered Recording (Australia Patch 3): Record desktop actions more accurately using AI-assisted recording mode, which validates anchor positions, generates screen context automatically, and reduces manual setup. This mode requires the ServiceNow AI Lens skill and the
sndesktopcore.desktopactionuserrole. - Parameter Configuration: Define dynamic parameters such as credentials or user inputs for on-screen task desktop actions. Parameters can be marked as Shared for all users or Mark As Sensitive to encrypt sensitive data. Parameters are mapped in AI Agent Studio and enable passing dynamic values at runtime securely.
- Application Rebranding (Australia Patch 2): The product name changed from Agentic Desktop to AI Desktop Actions, with updated UI labels and navigation.
- Dynamic Step Automation: Automate AI-determined dynamic steps alongside recorded steps using desktop actions and the ServiceNow Web Automation Chrome extension.
- Onboarding Wizard: Provides a guided overview covering recording, refining, testing, and activating desktop actions to help users get started quickly.
- Improved Testing and Usability: Includes filtering inputs in the test modal, screen-level testing from the design tab, enhanced error messages, and pagination for better navigation.
- System Properties and UI Enhancements: Control default recording mode with a system property, keep browser tabs open post-action, and enjoy improved connector descriptions for non-UI block actions.
Practical Upgrading and Usage Information
- Upgrade existing AI Desktop Actions by installing the latest MSI installer after closing any running desktop apps.
- Ensure prerequisites such as Windows 11, .NET 9.0 runtime, and supported browsers (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge) are met.
- Enable Next Experience UI Framework to use the Now Assist panel and install the supported Now Assist version to utilize AI agents.
- Activation requires any Now Assist plugin from the ServiceNow Store.
Benefits for ServiceNow Customers
- Reduce manual effort and errors during desktop action creation with AI-assisted recording.
- Increase flexibility by passing dynamic and sensitive inputs securely to AI agents during automation.
- Improve automation reliability by validating anchors and generating rich screen context at design time.
- Enhance user productivity by automating complex dynamic workflows and enabling real-time interaction and correction during AI agent execution.
- Speed up onboarding and adoption through guided wizards and improved UI features.
The ServiceNow® AI Desktop Actions application enables you to design, configure, and manage desktop actions to automate repetitive tasks. These desktop actions are executed by AI agents created in AI Agent Studio. AI Desktop Actions was enhanced and updated in the Australia release.
AI Desktop Actions highlights for the Australia release
- The name of the application is now changed to AI Desktop Actions from Agentic Desktop.
- Use the desktop action to automate dynamic steps that are determined by AI, and automating the recorded steps.
- Get a quick overview of the AI Desktop Actions application by using the onboarding wizard that highlights steps related to recording, refining, testing, and activating desktop actions.
- Use the Show Inputs / Show All buttons in the Test modal to filter required input fields.
- Use the latest LLM version for improved performance.
- Improved error and informational messages for better guidance and troubleshooting.
- Added a Delete button to the image canvas to remove a screen.
- Enabled screen-level testing while designing desktop actions.
See AI Desktop Actions for more information.
Important information for upgrading AI Desktop Actions to Australia
Upgrade the currently installed AI Desktop Actions Software Installers (MSIs) by downloading and installing the newer version of the application. Make sure to close the current execution and close the desktop app before staring the installation for upgrade. For more information, see Download AI Desktop Actions installer.
New in the Australia release
- Australia Patch 2
- Use the new application name
- The product formerly referred to as Agentic Desktop has been rebranded as AI Desktop Actions. All UI labels, navigation elements, and in-product text updated to reflect the new name.
- Automate dynamic steps with desktop actions
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- Use the desktop action to automate dynamic steps that are determined by AI during execution.
- Install the ServiceNow Web Automation chrome extension for AI agent to interact with web applications.
- Use the default Web Automation Agent AI agent and Web Automation agentic workflow to automate repetitive tasks.
- See every click, keystroke, and scroll your AI agent makes in real time, with consent prompts before execution kicks off and timely warnings before your session expires.
- Pause a running AI agent, provide corrective input, and resume. The AI agent replans based on your instructions, keeping execution on the right track.
- Use the onboarding wizard to get the app overview
- Get a quick overview of the application by using the onboarding wizard that highlights recording, refining, testing, and activating desktop actions.
Select Skip intro to bypass the onboarding wizard and go to the home page. Select the Don't show this again option to prevent the wizard from appearing the next time you open the app. After completing the onboarding wizard, select Get started to start creating desktop actions.
- Filter required inputs for testing
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Use filtering options to filter the inputs that are required.
- Show Inputs — Filters the screens with required input fields.
- Show All — Removes the filter and displays all screens.
- Australia Patch 1
- Improved error and informational messages
- Improved error and informational messages for better guidance and troubleshooting during testing of desktop actions.
- Delete button on image canvas
- Added a Delete button to the image canvas to remove a screen.
- Test button for a screen in the Design tab
- Test screens directly from the design tab while designing desktop actions.
UI changes
The system now suggests a full URL instead of a partial URL. For example, https://<instance name>.servicenow.com.
Pagination is implemented for desktop actions on the AI Desktop Actions home page, which helps improve navigation and load times.
Changed in this release
- Optional Application name field
- The Application field in the Details tab is now optional, enabling you to save and run desktop actions without entering an application name.
- Improved connectors descriptions for non-UI block desktop actions
- Descriptions for Excel, Word, PDF, and System Actions connectors are enhanced to improve accuracy and selection.
Activation information
AI Desktop Actions is available with activation of any Now Assist plugin from the ServiceNow Store. For more information about the prerequisites for using AI Desktop Actions, see Configure AI Desktop Actions.
Additional requirements
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 11.
- .NET 9.0 runtime v9.0.10 or .NET 9 Desktop Runtime v9.0.10.
- No extended monitors are connected.
You must first install the supported Now Assist version of ServiceNow to be able to use the Now Assist AI agents. For more information, see Install Now Assist AI agents.
You must enable Next Experience UI Framework before you can use the Now Assist panel.
Browser requirements
Now Assist AI agents support various browsers, including Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Now Assist AI agents aren't supported in Internet Explorer.