Exploring Virtual Agent API

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated December 18, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Exploring Virtual Agent API

    The ServiceNow® Virtual Agent API app enables integration of any chat interface or bot with ServiceNow® Virtual Agent or Agent Chat. Available from the ServiceNow® Store, this REST API is built on the conversational custom chat integration framework introduced in the Paris release. It is designed for ServiceNow developers, advanced users, and admins to utilize Virtual Agent either as a standalone bot or as a secondary bot managed by a primary bot such as IBM Watson Assistant.

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    Key Features

    • Standalone bot integration: Use Virtual Agent independently within enterprise or third-party chat interfaces that support conversational interactions, allowing users multi-channel access.
    • Secondary bot integration: Use Virtual Agent as a specialized secondary bot handling specific requests (e.g., service tickets, reservations) managed by a primary bot that coordinates communication.
    • Server-to-server integration: The API supports backend integration scenarios for seamless interaction between chat interfaces and Virtual Agent.
    • Custom Chat Integration Framework: Recommended for integrations requiring transformation of unsupported controls for rendering within existing chat interfaces.
    • Request and response handling: The API processes user inputs via inbound REST POST requests and returns responses through outbound REST POST requests, authenticated and managed by the ServiceNow AI Platform.

    Limitations

    • Chat branding is not supported through this API integration.
    • Now Assist capabilities are supported only in asynchronous mode.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    This API enables customers to extend Virtual Agent capabilities into diverse chat environments, improving user experience by integrating with existing tools or complex bot ecosystems. It is essential to review your ServiceNow release version and the Virtual Agent API store app version for feature compatibility and licensing requirements. For advanced UI control transformations, consider using the Custom Chat Integration Framework alongside this API.

    Use the ServiceNow® Virtual Agent API app to integrate any chat interface or a bot with ServiceNow® Virtual Agent or Agent Chat. The app is available from the ServiceNow® Store.

    Overview of the Virtual Agent API

    The Virtual Agent API is a REST API. This API is built on the conversational custom chat integration framework that is provided with Virtual Agent starting in the Paris release. The API enables ServiceNow developers, advanced users, and admins to use Virtual Agent in either of the following ways:

    Standalone bot
    Use Virtual Agent as a standalone bot that you integrate with enterprise or with any other third-party chat interface that supports conversational interfaces.

    Your end users can interact with the Virtual Agent and Agent Chat through multiple channels by using this integration.

    Secondary bot
    Use Virtual Agent as a secondary bot in an environment that has multiple, specialized bots managed by a primary bot.

    In this scenario, a primary bot manages communication with secondary bots on behalf of the end user. A primary bot could be IBM Watson Assistant or a homegrown primary bot.

    Your secondary bots, such as the ServiceNow bot, might handle specific types of end-user requests, such as service tickets or reservations.

    The Virtual Agent API is useful for creating server-to-server integrations. However, for integrations that require the transformation of unsupported controls that must be rendered in your existing chat interface, consider using the Custom Chat Integration Framework.

    For information about features such as the URL format and the supported request and response parameters in the Virtual Agent API, see Virtual Agent Bot Integration API.

    Video link to Virtual Agent Academy. Augment your experiences with the Virtual Agent API (Virtual Agent Academy video)

    How the Virtual Agent API works

    The following diagram shows how the REST API processes user input from a third-party chat interface or a primary bot, and then generates a bot response.
    1. The user provides input to a primary bot or third-party chat interface.
    2. The bot sends a POST request JSON to the inbound REST endpoint (via scripted REST API).
    3. The ServiceNow AI Platform authenticates and processes the request, which is sent to Virtual Agent or a live agent.
    4. The ServiceNow AI Platform sends a POST response JSON from the outbound REST endpoint (via REST API) back to the bot.
    5. The primary bot or third-party chat interfaces displays the response to the user.
    Figure 1. Inbound and outbound REST endpoints in the Virtual Agent API
    Diagram that shows how the REST endpoints in the Virtual Agent API handle user input and authentication and bot response and authentication.

    To see a demonstration of the Virtual Agent API, see Getting Started with Virtual Agent APIs on the Community site.

    Limitations

    The Virtual Agent API does not support the following features:
    • Chat branding through this Virtual Agent API integration.
    • Now Assist capabilities are supported only in asynchronous mode.