--- sourceDocument: Yokohama Build or modify applications sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/application-development Release : - yokohama ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Yokohama Build or modify applications ft:clusterId : - cadev bundleId : - cadev workflow : - Development, Data, and Analytics --- # Use AI capabilities in custom applications # Use AI capabilities in custom applications {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Yokohama * * Updated June 5, 2025 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Use AI capabilities in custom applications ServiceNow provides AI capabilities through the AI Platform to expedite development and enhance custom applications. These AI tools leverage generative and agentic AI to improve productivity during development and runtime. The two main AI offerings for custom app development are ServiceNow Otto for Creator and ServiceNow Otto for App Engine. Show full answer Show less ## ServiceNow Otto for Creator This toolset focuses on accelerating the creation and enhancement of custom applications primarily during development and testing phases in non-production instances. Using natural language prompts, developers and creators can generate and modify application elements such as apps, forms, scripts, user interfaces, and tests quickly and efficiently. * **App generation:** Create simplified applications with AI-generated tables, roles, and experiences. * **App summarization:** Automatically generate summaries explaining an app's functionality. * **Code generation:** Generate scripts and code snippets from text or code inputs. * **Form generation:** Design forms via natural language descriptions. * **Test generation:** Automate creation of tests from simple descriptions. * **UI generation:** Build user experiences by describing requirements in natural language. These capabilities help reduce time-to-value by streamlining application development tasks. ## ServiceNow Otto for App Engine This offering enhances custom applications with AI agents and skills that operate at runtime, assisting application users to improve workflow efficiency. Available with an App Engine Enterprise Plus license, it includes prebuilt Now Assist AI agents and skills, and also provides tools to build custom AI agents tailored to unique application workflows. For example, an AI agent can automate issue tracking by identifying recurring problems, suggesting resolutions, drafting communications, and escalating urgent cases to appropriate teams---thus reducing manual effort and speeding up resolution. ## When and Where to Use AI Capabilities Both Otto for Creator and Otto for App Engine are used during development in non-production instances, but serve different purposes: * **Otto for Creator:** Used by developers to quickly build and test apps and components with generative AI skills before deployment to production. * **Otto for App Engine:** Used to embed AI agents and skills during app development; after deployment, end users leverage these AI capabilities at runtime to boost productivity. The choice of AI tool depends on organizational workflows and the stage of the application lifecycle: | Persona | Benefit | Lifecycle Stage | AI Capability | |-|-|-|-| | Developer | Rapid app and element creation/testing | Development, Testing | Now Assist for Creator | | Developer | Enhance apps with AI agents and skills | Development, Testing | Now Assist for App Engine | | Requester, Fulfiller, Custom app user | Improved workflow efficiency with AI at runtime | Release, Post-release | Now Assist for App Engine | Expedite development and enhance custom applications using the generative and agentic AI capabilities available on the ServiceNow AI Platform. When developing custom applications on the ServiceNow AI Platform, you can use different tools to create and enhance your custom applications with AI capabilities, helping to expedite the development process and improve productivity. ## ServiceNow Otto for Creator {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__section_gsf_xwt_pfc} ServiceNow Otto for Creator includes generative AI skills that can make developing on the ServiceNow AI Platform more efficient. Using natural language, you can describe what you want to create, such as a new application using the app generation skill in ServiceNow Studio, or a new form for an application using the form generation skill in Creator Studio. ServiceNow Otto for Creator empowers you create, modify, and enhance custom applications and user experiences easily, helping to accelerate development and reduce time-to-value. The ServiceNow Otto for Creator generative AI skills that you can use when building custom applications are listed in the following table. {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__table_hsf_xwt_pfc__entry__2} | Skill | Description | |-|-| | [App generation](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Gqwk_nBfVcox38f~pzHwsA "Use ServiceNow Otto for Creator to work with generative AI and simplify app creation. After having a conversation about the app that you want to create, ServiceNow Otto for Creator generates the app that you can then modify.") | Generate simplified apps with AI-generated tables, experiences, and roles tailored to your text prompts. | | [App summarization](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/poAWvmh7_dnshb00ddH8Wg "Use the ServiceNow ServiceNow Otto for Creator application to use generative AI for summarizing an app. With a single button, ServiceNow Otto for Creator generates the app summary that you can then copy to the app description, or use to find duplicate apps.") | Summarize what an app does using generative AI. | | [Code generation](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=now-assist-code-landing&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-api-reference&ft:locale=en-US) | Get help writing scripts quickly with AI-generated code based on text or code prompts. | | [Form generation](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Jg_GcV0bQDuWnOcaxDxyZQ "Learn how the Now Assist in Creator application helps you to create forms for you in Creator Studio.") | Create forms by describing what you want using natural language. | | [Test generation](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Mql6_LCbJ1jlUHAl2tHNFA "Simplify your automated test authoring by leveraging the power of ServiceNow's Test generation skill available as part of the Creator Pro Plus product offering. Simply describe your test requirements, and Test generation generates the test for you. You can then review the generated test before accepting it or make any edits with an updated prompt.") | Automate test creation from simple descriptions with AI-powered test generation. | | [UI generation](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/BbF2v8FLRAVyw8FK_npNsg "Use ServiceNow Now Assist for UI generation to quickly create experiences by describing what you want using natural language.") | Create experiences by describing what you want using natural language. | [Table 1. ServiceNow Otto for Creator generative AI skills for building custom applications] {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__table_hsf_xwt_pfc} For more information about ServiceNow Otto for Creator, see [Now Assist for Creator](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=now-assist-for-creator-landing&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US). ## ServiceNow Otto for App Engine {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__section_c52_42n_pfc} ServiceNow Otto for App Engine enables you to enhance custom applications with AI agents and skills that application users can leverage at runtime. You can use the Now Assist AI agents and skills that are available with an App Engine Enterprise Plus license. Or you can build custom AI agents and skills using AI Skill Kit and AI Agent Studio that are customized for your application's unique workflow. For example, let's say that you built a custom application for a sporting goods retail company in ServiceNow Studio. The app enables store employees to manage in-store product inventory and report issues, such as defective merchandise. When an issue is reported, the app automatically notifies the appropriate teams that are responsible for resolution, including product quality assurance, supply chain, and vendor relations. With ServiceNow Otto for App Engine, you could create an AI agent in AI Agent Studio that handles some of the time-consuming tasks that fulfiller users of the app would otherwise have to do manually. The AI agent could check whether similar issues have been reported with the product at other store locations, identify recurring product defects, and suggest next steps based on past resolutions. It could even draft a summary of the issue for vendor outreach or escalate urgent cases to the appropriate team, helping to streamline operations and reduce resolution time. To learn more about the AI capabilities available with ServiceNow Otto for App Engine, see [Now Assist for App Engine](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/19RHlv_CeEmyVMsVFLEI7Q "Use Now Assist for App Engine to apply AI enhancements, such as developing custom skills and agents for custom applications,"). ## When and where to use AI capabilities {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__section_hmj_3kn_pfc} You can use both ServiceNow Otto for Creator and ServiceNow Otto for App Engine when developing custom applications. How and where you implement AI capabilities depends on your organization's workflow and the custom applications that you're developing. ServiceNow Otto for Creator is primarily used when developing, enhancing, or testing custom applications in non-production instances. Creators and developers can use the ServiceNow Otto for Creator skills to quickly build applications and application elements, which are then deployed to production instances. The AI capabilities available with ServiceNow Otto for App Engine are also used when developing custom applications in non-production instances. Creators and developers can use the generative and agentic AI capabilities available with their App Engine Enterprise Plus license to enhance their applications with Now Assist AI agents and skills. Or they can create custom skills and agents that are unique to their app's workflow. Once the applications are deployed to production instances, application users can then leverage the agents and skills to help streamline their workflows and improve efficiency. {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__table_pfs_w4n_pfc__entry__4} | Persona | Benefit | Stage in the application life cycle | AI capability | |-|-|-|-| | Developer | Build and test applications and application elements quickly with generative AI skills. | Development, testing | [Now Assist for Creator](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=now-assist-for-creator-landing&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) | | Developer | Enhance custom applications with base system AI agents and skills, or build custom AI agents and skills. | Development, testing | [Now Assist for App Engine](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/19RHlv_CeEmyVMsVFLEI7Q "Use Now Assist for App Engine to apply AI enhancements, such as developing custom skills and agents for custom applications,") | | Requester, fulfiller, custom application user | Leverage AI agents and skills in custom applications at runtime to help improve productivity and efficiency. | Release, post-release | [Now Assist for App Engine](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/19RHlv_CeEmyVMsVFLEI7Q "Use Now Assist for App Engine to apply AI enhancements, such as developing custom skills and agents for custom applications,") | [Table 2. When to use AI capabilities during the application development life cycle] {#use-ai-capabilities-in-custom-apps__table_pfs_w4n_pfc}