Defined desktop actions for desktop and web-based tasks

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated April 13, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Defined desktop actions for desktop and web-based tasks

    AI Desktop Actions is a Windows client application designed for automating fixed-step desktop and web-based tasks. It provides two main workspaces: theDesign workspacefor creating and configuring desktop automations, and theExecution workspacewhere these automations run in isolated desktop sessions. This solution enables ServiceNow customers to automate multi-step processes through recording with AI or manual step capturing, simulating user interactions on UI elements, and running background tasks via prebuilt connectors.

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    Key Features

    • Design workspace: Offers a no-code environment to create reusable desktop actions by recording user interactions or manually defining steps. Supports UI element recognition across legacy, thick client, and web applications.
    • Execution workspace: Automatically launches during testing or running desktop actions in an isolated session, ensuring secure and reliable automation without direct user access.
    • AI Agent Studio integration: Allows creation and management of AI agents that utilize desktop actions as tools, enabling text-instruction-driven automation.
    • Now Assist panel: Enables triggering of desktop actions directly within ServiceNow, supporting seamless task execution from the user interface.
    • Categories of desktop actions:
      • On-screen tasks that simulate human interactions such as clicking, typing, and selecting UI elements without needing APIs.
      • Background tasks using prebuilt connectors to interact with applications and system components silently.
    • Recorder feature: Captures user interactions and contextual metadata automatically with AI assistance for precise anchor insertion and screen context generation.
    • Background execution: Supports silent and non-intrusive automation to avoid disrupting user workflows.
    • Wide application support: Compatible with diverse Windows environments including legacy, thick client, and web applications.

    Practical Use and User Roles

    • Administrators: Responsible for setting up and deploying the AI Desktop Actions application.
    • Developers: Design, manage, and deploy automation solutions using the Design workspace and AI Agent Studio.
    • Business users: Can automate repetitive desktop tasks without needing deep technical skills.
    • Process owners: Use desktop actions to optimize manual business processes by automating interactions.

    Workflow and Operation

    The automation process begins by designing desktop actions in the Design workspace, which AI agents then execute via the Execution workspace. Execution is triggered automatically during testing or from the Now Assist panel within ServiceNow, without manual launching of the Execution workspace. AI agents created in AI Agent Studio use desktop actions as tools based on simple text instructions, enabling flexible and scalable automation. Users can monitor execution in real time, step in when necessary, and verify outcomes directly through ServiceNow interfaces.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Automate complex, multi-step desktop and web tasks efficiently without coding.
    • Enable integration of legacy and modern applications lacking APIs through UI simulation.
    • Ensure secure, isolated execution environments for automation tasks.
    • Leverage AI-driven recording and execution for accuracy and reliability.
    • Trigger and monitor automations seamlessly from within the ServiceNow platform.

    Automate desktop and web-based tasks that involve fixed steps using AI Desktop Actions.

    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. Design workspace enables you to automate multi-step processes by recording with AI or manually capturing steps. Execution workspace enables AI agents to execute desktop actions in an isolated desktop session.

    Defined desktop actions are categorized into two categories.
    • On-screen task: These desktop actions help you simulate humans interacting with UI elements on your thick client applications, legacy systems, or SaaS applications without APIs. These actions include clicking buttons, typing into text boxes, selecting from dropdown menus, and more.
    • Background task: These desktop actions include prebuilt connectors that enable your AI agents to interact with various applications and system components in the background.

    Key interfaces related to AI Desktop Actions

    Design workspace
    Create, manage, and test desktop actions that define how automations interact with desktop and web applications. You can create desktop actions by recording with AI or manually capturing steps.
    Execution workspace
    Automatically runs desktop actions in an isolated desktop session during testing or execution. You don't open this workspace directly.
    AI Agent Studio
    Create, manage, and test AI agents that run desktop actions.
    Now Assist panel
    Trigger desktop actions from within ServiceNow.

    These components work together to separate design, execution, and monitoring, ensuring secure and reliable desktop automation.

    AI Desktop Actions users

    User Description
    Administrators

    Set up and deploy the AI Desktop Actions application.
    Developers Design, manage, and deploy automation solutions within their organization.
    Business users Automate repetitive desktop tasks without extensive technical knowledge.
    Process owners Optimize business processes by automating manual desktop interactions.

    How AI Desktop Actions works end-to-end

    Figure 1. Workflow for automating fixed steps using desktop actions
    Agentic Workflow diagram showing four stages: Desktop actions, AI agents, Execution, and Desktop-in-Desktop with related tasks and workspace tools.

    This workflow shows how AI Desktop Actions works end to end from designing desktop actions to running them during execution. As you move through the workflow, note which steps you perform manually and which steps are handled automatically by the system.

    Important:
    Access to the Design workspace and Execution workspace depends on the user’s role.
    • When users with the AI Agent Admin (sn_aia.admin) role sign in from their desktop, they can access the Home page and Design workspace to create desktop actions. When they test a desktop action, the Execution workspace launches automatically.
    • When users with the Now Assist panel user (now_assist_panel_user) role trigger an automation from the Now Assist panel, the Execution workspace launches automatically to run the desktop action.

    You don’t open the Execution workspace directly. It launches automatically when you test or run a desktop action.

    • With the AI Agent Admin role, use the no-code Design workspace to create reusable desktop actions that AI agents can execute. You can visually create and simulate application interactions, such as clicks, text entry, and extraction that mimic human behavior using screen and UI element recognition.
    • When you test a desktop action, the system automatically launches the Execution workspace in an isolated desktop session. You do not open or manage the Execution workspace directly.
    • Activate your desktop actions from the Design workspace so that AI agents can use them as tools in AI Agent Studio.
    • Create AI agents by providing simple text instructions in AI Agent Studio.
    • Add your designed desktop actions as tools to your AI agents.
    • Verify your AI agents function correctly with their integrated tools.
    • With the Now Assist panel user role, provide instructions for the task you want to complete on your desktop in the Now Assist panel.
      • An AI agent is triggered from the Now Assist panel to execute the desktop actions.
      • The AI agent selects the appropriate desktop action to complete the task.
      • The system automatically launches the Execution workspace in an isolated desktop session to run the desktop actions. You do not open or manage the Execution workspace directly.
    • Observe and manage automations as they run in real time in the Execution workspace, which provides a dedicated execution environment.
    • Step in and out of the automation where your inputs are required.
    • Check the outcome of the execution in the Now Assist panel.

    For more information, see Defined path desktop actions in AI Desktop Actions and Creating AI agents for AI Desktop Actions.

    AI Desktop Actions capabilities

    Design desktop actions
    • Create, configure, and manage reusable desktop actions with application metadata.
    • With the Recorder feature, automatically record and capture user interactions and contextual information while you perform actions on desktop applications. You can record with AI for accurate anchor insertion and generating screen context.
    • Additionally, manually capture screens, define UI interactions, and structure steps in a no-code Design workspace.
    Run in the background
    Enable silent and non-intrusive execution of agent tasks, supporting uninterrupted user workflows.
    Support for diverse applications on Windows
    Automate tasks across a wide variety of environments and UI types, including legacy systems, thick client applications, and web applications on Windows operating system.
    Core desktop capabilities
    Support common desktop actions such as form filling, application clicks, and OS file handling.
    Performance
    Supports automations with native integration to AI Agent Studio.
    Seamless integration
    Publish configured desktop actions directly to AI Agent Studio for easy access and deployment.