---
sourceDocument: Xanadu Enable AI
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/intelligent-experiences

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu Enable AI

ft:clusterId :

    - platai

bundleId :

    - platai

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Exploring Natural Language Understanding

# Exploring Natural Language Understanding {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated August 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

ServiceNow® Natural Language Understanding (NLU) provides an NLU Workbench and an NLU inference service that you can use to enable the system to learn and respond to human-expressed intent. By entering natural language examples into the system, you help it understand word meanings and contexts so it can infer user or system actions.

## Natural Language Understanding
overview {#nlu-explore__section_uqh_kkh_czb}

Natural Language Understanding (NLU) is a component of artificial intelligence natural-language processing that deals with machine-reading comprehension. Predictive Intelligence uses NLU so the system can understand word meanings and word contexts to infer user or system actions.

## Natural Language Understanding workflow {#nlu-explore__section_vqh_kkh_czb}

<br />

Figure 1. User input flow in the NLU model build process  
This image shows you the user input flow in the NLU model build process.

## Natural Language Understanding benefits {#nlu-explore__section_yqh_kkh_czb}

{#nlu-explore__table_zqh_kkh_czb__entry__3}

| Benefit | Feature | Users |
|-|-|-|
| Use the NLU Workbench to create models for Virtual Agent and AI Search. | NLU Workbench | NLU Administrator |
| Build the model's content by adding intents, entities, vocabulary, and test set utterances. Your NLU model content determines how the model responds to user inputs. | Model Management | NLU Administrator |
| Add a language to an existing NLU model by translating it. Use one of several translation options to add a secondary model in a supported language. | Model Management | NLU Administrator |
| Virtual Agent administrators can access and update their NLU models from within the Virtual Agent Designer user interface. | Virtual Agent Integration | Virtual Agent Administrator |
|   |   |   |
[ ]

{#nlu-explore__table_zqh_kkh_czb}
* **[Activate the NLU Workbench](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/rCLbf7GXrT3OPe5NypV1Iw)**   
  Activate the following plugins to activate the NLU Workbench.
* **[NLU Workbench roles](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~rL_bSlmqIwn8~0eCmTOoQ#natural-language-understanding-roles)**   
  NLU Workbench is installed with these roles.
* **[NLU Workbench properties](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wFOCrrKtW6aPnQYUcYq9zw)**   
  Refer to these system properties for the Natural Language Understanding (NLU) application.
* **[NLU language support](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/sN6WhVtvMDOpcwpT92aYeg)**   
  The NLU Workbench application provides support for creating NLU models in different languages for use in other applications, such as Virtual Agent.
* **[NLU Service updates](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/l5p5Kf_oT~H65p0gc7YS_A)**   
  Refer to this documentation so you are up to date with changes to the NLU Service.
* **[NLU models](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/i3Oa21cnLOfOZLaii8SoXg)**   
  Use NLU models to apply ServiceNow Natural Language Understanding on your instances. Create, manage, test, and publish NLU models with the NLU Workbench.