Activate an AI skill

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read

    • Configure the triggers, settings, and display locations for AI skills to enable generative AI capabilities across the ServiceNow AI Platform.

    Before you begin

    Role required: sn_generative_ai.nsa_admin

    About this task

    Activate the skills that are most relevant to your use cases and business needs. For a full list of available skills, see Now Assist skills. After the skills have been activated, they’re accessible across the ServiceNow AI Platform based on the availability and display settings you choose.

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > AI Admin Hub > AI Skills.

      If you’re already in AI Admin Hub, select the AI Skills tab.

    2. On the navigation panel, select a workflow, such as Technology.

      Each workflow contains feature sets.

    3. On the feature card that is associated with the skill you'd like to activate, select View details.
    4. In the All available skills section, select Activate Skill.
    5. In the first step of the skill configuration, determine which inputs or triggers you want to associate with the skill.

      Each skill configuration has steps that are shown in the guided setup. The exact steps vary from skill to skill. A symbol next to each step indicates whether the step is completed, partially completed, or not completed. After configuring a step, select Save and continue to go to the next step. Return to a previous step by selecting Back.

      First step of the Now Assist incident summarization skill, which shows the input fields that the summary is based on.

      Note:
      Some configuration options are read only.
    6. After you've configured the current step, select Save and continue to go to the next step.
    7. Define the access controls by updating the roles withing Define access.
      Roles can be added by entering the name of the role in the User roles field. Existing roles can be removed by selecting the X icon in the role bubble. You must have at least one role specified, but you can add as many as you like.
    8. In the next step of the skill configuration, select where you'd like to display the skill.

      Options vary from skill to skill. Some options are only available for certain skills.

      • In-product desktop: When selected, Now Assist skills are displayed on forms and workspaces.
      • ServiceNow Otto panel: When selected, the AI skills are available in the ServiceNow Otto panel. If you don't see this option, you must activate the ServiceNow Otto panel. For more information, see Activate the ServiceNow Otto panel standard chat.
      • Core UI: When selected, the AI skill will display as a UI action in the Core UI.

      Select display step of the Now Assist incident summarization skill configuration prompts you to define where the skill is displayed, either in-product, in the Now Assist panel, or both.
    9. Review your choices and select Activate to complete the configuration.
      1. Activating a multi-product skill leads to activating the skill across all the workflows it is applicable to.
        A confirmation modal highlighting the skills that will be activated, is displayed.
        Multi-prod skill activation
      2. Select Activate to proceed or Cancel to revert.

    What to do next

    Use the ServiceNow Otto applications and skills that you've activated.