The SaaS elite have a dirty little secret: they’re exploiting their access to data to dominate the generative AI landscape, while the rest of us are left in the dust. And ServiceNow is leading the charge, using its vast trove of data to build business-centric models that will make your head spin.
Chris Bedi, CIO of ServiceNow, is the mastermind behind this data-driven coup. “I’m a firm believer that a model is only as good as the platform,” he sneers. “If it’s part of a great model, but it’s not attached to an experience, not attached to a workflow, what’s the point?” In other words, Bedi is saying that ServiceNow’s competitors are just playing catch-up, while his company is forging a new path forward.
Brent Leary, founder and principal analyst at CRM Essentials, is just as ruthless. “ServiceNow’s focus on building their own full-stack generative AI platform gives them the ability to aim their efforts on workflow creation, optimization, and integration. This has the opportunity to impact processes that cross into multiple departments/areas and platforms.” In other words, ServiceNow is the only one playing the long game, while everyone else is stuck in the short-term.
So, what’s the game plan? Bedi breaks it down into three broad areas: dealing with requests, helping agents do their job better, and speeding up innovation. And don’t even get him started on the last one – “text to code, text to automated workflow, or even working multimodally to allow users to do things like taking a picture of a diagram or whiteboard brainstorming session, and turning that picture into a workflow.” Mind. Blown.
A Strategy of Domination
ServiceNow is implementing a unique AI strategy that is a mix of building, buying, and partnering. And why not? They have the data, they have the talent, and they have the vision. “ServiceNow customers have a wide range of AI partnerships, and they want ServiceNow to leverage and cohabitate with them,” says Holger Mueller, an analyst at Constellation Research. “Then it needs to build its own AI automation as customers also expect out-of-the-box AI experiences.” In other words, ServiceNow is the master of its own destiny, while everyone else is just trying to keep up.
And don’t even get me started on the financials. Arjun Bhatia from William Blair sees the new AI capabilities as something customers are willing to pay for. “While it is still early, ServiceNow highlighted strong demand trends for its new Pro-Plus SKUs as enterprises look for ways to invest in gen AI.” In other words, customers are lining up to pay top dollar for ServiceNow’s AI solutions.
The Future of Work
IDC analyst Stephen Elliot says that the company has been investing in AI, generative AI, and related talent for more than five years, and customers are seeing results from that effort. “Customers I have spoken with that are using Now Assist say early results look very positive with business returns around ticket deflection, knowledge base summarization, and improved customer experiences with virtual agents.” In other words, ServiceNow’s AI solutions are delivering real value to customers.
But here’s the thing: Bedi doesn’t just see AI as a way to improve the status quo. He sees it as a way to fundamentally change the way we work. “The way that we define mode one, it’s really about incremental improvements to existing ways of working,” he says. “But where it will get really interesting is in the future when you can look at a process and come up with an entirely new, AI-driven way of working.” In other words, ServiceNow is not just playing the AI game – it’s redefining the game itself.
Author: Kayitsi.com
