• Standalone bot: Integrate Virtual Agent as an independent bot with enterprise or third-party chat interfaces that support conversational interactions, allowing end users to engage through multiple channels.
• Secondary bot: Use Virtual Agent as a specialized secondary bot within a multi-bot environment managed by a primary bot (e.g., IBM Watson Assistant, Microsoft LUIS), handling specific user requests like service tickets.

Additionally, the Virtual Agent Bot Interconnect can serve as the primary bot to unify diverse chat channels and enterprise task access.

This API is optimized for server-to-server integrations. For complex UI control transformations, consider the Custom Chat Integration Framework.

How It Works

User input flows from a third-party chat or primary bot to the Virtual Agent API via an inbound REST POST request. The ServiceNow AI Platform authenticates and processes this input, routing it to Virtual Agent or a live agent. The response is then sent back through an outbound REST POST response to the bot or chat interface, which displays it to the user.

Key Features

• Support for many Virtual Agent and Agent Chat features, including rich controls and notifications (varies by API version and ServiceNow release).
• Version 3.0.x adds capabilities such as file uploads from private URLs and enhanced synchronous handshakes.
• Supports bot-to-bot integration scenarios with multiple bots communicating via a primary bot.
• Automatic closure of idle bot-to-bot conversations after one hour of inactivity.
• Configurable multiple provider applications for environments with multiple primary bots.
• Transformations of API requests and responses via scripted extensions.
• Enables Now Assist experience to support generative AI skills across multiple channels.

Limitations

The API does not support chat branding through this integration.

Version Compatibility and Licensing

The Virtual Agent API app is compatible with ServiceNow releases from Paris through Yokohama, with feature support varying by version. It requires a Pro license similar to Virtual Agent.

Installation and Configuration

• Install the Virtual Agent API app from the ServiceNow Store.
• Review and configure the inbound REST endpoint and authentication (Message Authentication with Static or Hash tokens is recommended over Basic or OAuth).
• Set up the outbound REST endpoint and authentication to receive Virtual Agent responses.
• Configure provider applications when supporting multiple primary bots and AI agents.

Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

By using the Virtual Agent API, ServiceNow customers can extend Virtual Agent capabilities beyond the native ServiceNow interface, integrating conversational AI into existing enterprise chat platforms or custom bots. This enables a unified, scalable, and flexible conversational experience across multiple channels and bot ecosystems, improving end-user engagement and operational efficiency.