Lights, camera, GenAI! London was buzzing last week as ServiceNow launched its 9-city world tour at ExCeL. With over 4,000 attendees, it was the most prominent UK ServiceNow event since 2019, and the excitement around AI advancements was impossible to ignore. It was also my 9th and by far the best yet!

The Platform - ServiceNow's AI release yet!

ServiceNow’s Xanadu release marks a turning point—AI is no longer hype; it’s revolutionizing workflows across industries. From automating tasks to driving business growth, the platform’s new capabilities are transforming the way we work. Every workflow, automation, and industry can now leverage the ServiceNow platform in new and innovative ways, driving efficiencies and growth across their organisation. With the introduction of the Now Assist Skills kit, data visualisation generation and a fully integrated copilot integration, employees, customers, and developers in any industry can put actionable AI to work.

The Now Platform, soon to be powered by Raptor DB and DB Pro, is also bringing some seriously impressive performance gains - these types of figures are typically reserved for Apple hardware events, so it's hard to understand what a game changer this will be until you try it for yourself. This isn't just a minor tweak. RaptorDB is a fork of PostgreSQL, known for its advanced capabilities and superior performance. Developed by ServiceNow after they acquired Swarm64 (a PostgreSQL performance expert), RaptorDB touts a significant speed boost – processing up to 93,257 transactions per minute compared to MariaDB's 35,121!

And last but not least...ServiceNow is introducing AI Agents —your autonomous digital assistant that doesn't just follow instructions but learns, solves problems, and adapts to your needs, working 24/7 to meet your goals.

As per a recent Forbes article (Link), we know that at its core, agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that possess a degree of autonomy and can act on their own to achieve specific goals. Unlike traditional AI models that respond to prompts or execute predefined tasks, agentic AI can make decisions, plan actions, and even learn from its experiences – all in pursuit of objectives set by its human creators. Think of agentic AI as a digital assistant on steroids. Instead of just answering your questions or performing simple tasks, it can take initiative, solve complex problems, and adapt its approach based on changing circumstances. It's like having a tireless, hyper-intelligent intern who not only follows your instructions but also anticipates your needs and comes up with creative solutions you might never have considered.

1. Create your own AI agents - Easily create custom AI agents and skills tailored to your unique needs, and watch them learn progressively.
2. Always under your control - Create AI agents that work for you, not just with you. Robust governance and analytics mean you’re in the driver’s seat at all times.
3. Built with the Now Platform - ServiceNow AI Agents are built with the Now Platform, so they operate natively and securely with your data, workflows, and integrations.

All this and more was highlighted during the amazing opening keynote from Nick Tzitzon, Sampada Basarkar, Clare Lansley, Jayney Howson, Rob Barnes and many more!

The Market - Enterprise AI Maturity Index 2024

As companies across the globe continue to shape their AI strategy, ServiceNow is well-positioned to have a seat at the table in the boardroom. To better understand how organisations are deploying AI, ServiceNow and Oxford Economics teamed up to create the Enterprise AI Maturity Index. They surveyed nearly 4,500 senior leaders and IT decision-makers worldwide and used a proprietary indexing model to measure the AI maturity of their organisations.

They found that while most organisations are early in their AI journeys, a select few are pulling ahead of the pack. The research reveals that these AI Pacesetters share certain attitudes and practices that help distinguish them from their peers. These emerging best practices can help any organisation put AI to work more effectively.

The World Forum had every workflow and industry use case on display, and all were powered by the Now Assist and ServiceNow platform. Getting focused and started was a real focal point of the day - some key takeaways included:

1. Setting the tone from the top - At the World Forum, it was evident that AI Pacesetters, guided by strong leaders, reap the benefits of AI maturity. Research shows that a clear strategy driven by senior leadership is the most accurate predictor of AI maturity. Pacesetters understand that AI-powered business transformation is not a task for a single executive or function. They are more likely than others to involve IT, security/cybersecurity, board members, the CEO's office, operations, and legal teams in setting AI strategy.
2. Creating a shared vision - At the World Forum, it was clear that a shared vision is crucial for a successful AI-powered business transformation. The strong C-suite leadership and common vision reported by Pacesetters explain why they are significantly more confident (65% vs. 31% others) that their department or function is aligned with others across the organisation in terms of AI strategy.
3. Measuring Impact - The most notable area where Pacesetters stand apart from others is how they measure their AI initiatives' progress. Nearly two-thirds of Pacesetters (62%) strongly agree that they have a defined set of metrics in place to measure the impact of and return on AI transformation efforts.

The Opportunity - Kickstarting Success with ServiceNow's GenAI

NewRocket's FlightPath + Proof of Value approach is helping companies deploy GenAI effectively. By aligning AI with business objectives, we ensure real-world results, not just hype. From defining goals to configuring Now Assist use cases, our clients are seeing measurable results. NewRocket has been working closely with our team of internal AI experts and several vital clients to launch FlightPath for ServiceNow's GenAI. During the WorldForum, we had the privilege of hosting two sessions centred around exploring the trends we are seeing in the market and how we are helping clients get off to the best start with GenAI, Now Assist, and the AI-powered Now Platform. Industry analysts and clients were keen to learn how early adopters are actually getting results instead of getting wrapped up in the hype.

At NewRocket, we take an adaptable approach-we start with the why and drive straight through to results. By ensuring a thorough understanding of the business objectives and how technology can support them, we maximize the chances of success and deliver the highest impact for the organization. Rather than simply focusing on the nuts and bolts of the implementation, we prioritize aligning our solutions with the expectations and needs of the stakeholders, ultimately driving meaningful business outcomes. Creating a roadmap of outcomes aligned with business objectives and key stakeholders while factoring in risks is the best way to ensure the best results.

Outcomes You Can Expect

• Identify Stakeholders / Capture Risks
• Workshops / Interviews
• Identify Business Goals / Objectives
• Use Case Definition
• Establish KPI’s
• Business Case Definition
• 3-5 Now Assist Use Cases Configured
• Data Set Preparation
• Data Cleaning
• User Interface and Workflow Configuration
• User Training
• Pilot Group Testing

With over 200 people visiting our booth and attending our sessions last week it's safe to say there is a lot of interest!

In conclusion, the World Forum this year is more significant than ever, and it's clear that having an AI strategy is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. Whether it's transforming customer service, enhancing the employee experience, or revolutionising IT operations, AI is reshaping the future of work.

The ServiceNow World Forum 2024 is a powerful reminder of AI's potential to drive innovation and business success. It's a huge motivator to realize that ServiceNow is positioned to be the leading AI platform for business transformation in 2025 and beyond!

It's time to embrace the future. The lights are on, the camera is rolling, and AI is ready for its starring role. Are you?

Meet with NewRocket at the rest of the World Forums:

• 8th October - Dallas, USA
• 7th November - New York, USA
• 13th November - Toronto, Canada
• 20th November - Rotterdam, Netherlands

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