OpenAI and ServiceNow Strike Deal to Put AI Agents in Business Software

Dow Jones
Jan 20

OpenAI and ServiceNow said they signed a three-year deal that will integrate the ChatGPT-maker’s AI models into ServiceNow’s business software.

The deal depends on customers using OpenAI’s models within ServiceNow, and also includes a revenue commitment from ServiceNow to OpenAI. More specific terms weren’t disclosed.

“Enterprises want OpenAI intelligence applied directly into ServiceNow workflows,” said Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer. “Looking ahead, customers are especially interested in agentic and multimodal experiences, so they can work with AI like a true teammate inside ServiceNow.”

The pact is the latest sign that AI agents, independent bots that can take action on behalf of humans, are becoming standard inside core business software. Salesforce has already folded AI agents into its flagship sales and marketing tools. SAP and Workday have been similarly pitching businesses on the idea that their embedded AI agents are essential to getting value out of AI.

The deal comes as OpenAI looks to build its enterprise business—both by selling direct access to its models and AI agents, and through business-software collaborations like with ServiceNow. It faces competition not just from rival AI model maker Anthropic, but also Google and Microsoft’s suites of enterprise AI tools.

For ServiceNow, which makes software for IT, customer service and other business operations, the OpenAI deal is a way to put a leading model-maker’s technologies into its platforms without building those AI capabilities on its own.

For instance, ServiceNow will develop AI voice agents for uses like customer service that rely on OpenAI’s speech-focused AI model.

Also as part of the deal, ServiceNow will embed OpenAI’s computer-use AI model into its platform. Such a setup will enable agents to independently perform IT tasks like restarting a computer, replacing the need for humans to do so, according to Amit Zavery, ServiceNow’s president, chief operating officer and chief product officer.

The technology can also help companies access data stuck in old-school IT systems like mainframe computers, he said. “The computer-use models are basically now doing this through learning, and feeding it back into the ServiceNow workflow platform,” Zavery said.

AI agents are the latest technology poised to disrupt the IT labor market, which has been in a steady decline over the past several years, as companies reduce the pace at which they hire tech workers and focus their efforts on cost-cutting and automation.

ServiceNow engineers will build the AI agent-enabled products with OpenAI’s technical guidance. ServiceNow also said it will put its “forward deployed engineers” to work in helping business customers actually use the AI capabilities.  

Both companies have struck similar deals with the others’ competitors. 

“We have always been an open platform,” ServiceNow’s Zavery said. “There are things we’ll do unique with each of the model providers, depending on their expertise.”

ServiceNow increased revenue 22% in the third quarter, as AI demand from both existing customers and new customers grew, particularly in its customer relationship management business.

The software company will report its fourth-quarter and full 2025 financial results on Jan. 28.

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