ServiceNow & Microsoft to enhance workflow with integrated AI capabilities

ServiceNow is expanding its strategic alliance with Microsoft, cooperating on its generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities in a bid to increase workplace flexibility and enhance employee options. The new integration of ServiceNow's Now Assist and Microsoft's Copilot will combine the functionalities of two AI assistants into a single enterprise system, facilitating mission-critical tasks for employees and creating new avenues for productivity.

The announcement comes off the back of ServiceNow's recent remarkable earnings results, wherein the company outperformed its Q1 guidance across all metrics. This progress was highlighted at the annual Knowledge 2024 conference in Las Vegas, running from May 6-9, where ServiceNow made several strategic announcements to catalyse the next phase of digital transformation.

Key collaborators included IBM, Nvidia, and Equinix. With IBM, ServiceNow aims to accelerate the impact of generative AI across enterprises. The company's expanded partnership with NVIDIA showcased AI avatars developed using NVIDIA's Avatar Cloud Engine and powered by generative AI. Its strategic relationship with digital infrastructure giant Equinix aims to streamline the operations of digital infrastructure.

The integration of ServiceNow's Now Assist and Microsoft's Copilot in the workplace is designed to create an intelligent, cohesive working environment. By enabling collaboration between the two AI-powered systems, common tasks can be completed with a higher level of efficiency, fuelling worker productivity. The most appropriate AI assistant will provide help, regardless of the platform an employee is operating within.

CJ Desai, president and chief operating officer at ServiceNow, opines this combination of AI capabilities marks a paradigm shift. "Today's news marks a new chapter in the way businesses will operate," Desai said. "With Microsoft as our partner, we're enabling a smarter way to work, where generative AI assistants can cohabitate and interact to unlock new levels of productivity."

Microsoft's commitment to adapt and flourish in the AI era was affirmed by Rajesh Jha, executive vice president of Experiences + Devices at Microsoft. "The seamless integration of our AI-powered assistants will help usher in improved levels of employee and IT productivity, reduce context switching, and ensure easier execution of everyday work tasks," he said.

The integrated AI assistants feature includes Microsoft Teams, providing rapid, friction-less responses to employee requests and offering relevant advice on action plans. Future features will enable employees to engage Copilot for Microsoft 365, creating documents such as PowerPoint presentations via ServiceNow.

ServiceNow and Microsoft have been strategic partners since 2019, working together to maximise productivity for their customers. The expansion of this partnership underpins the next phase of their innovation strategy, focusing on how AI-driven digital business will progress.

The integration of Now Assist and Microsoft Copilot is looking to be generally available by the fall of 2024.