How to get real value from AI in ServiceNow SAM Pro

AI has officially arrived in Software Asset Management. With the Yokohama and Zurich releases, ServiceNow introduced and expanded Now Assist for SAM Pro, bringing generative AI directly into the SAM workspace.

For teams buried in compliance reports and renewal data, this is a big step forward.

But let’s be clear about one thing upfront:
AI doesn’t fix bad data. It accelerates it.

If your discovery, CMDB, or entitlement data isn’t solid, Now Assist will produce faster - but still unreliable - insights.

This article explores what Now Assist for SAM Pro really does, the practical challenges it introduces, and how your organisation can harness it correctly.

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What Now Assist for SAM Pro actually does

Now Assist is part of ServiceNow’s broader GenAI capability. In SAM Pro, it helps teams work faster and communicate better.

1. Summarises compliance positions: it can generate human-readable summaries of your Now Assist can turn complex ELP data into plain-language summaries across major publishers like Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle, and IBM.

Example: Instead of digging through reports, you get a clear statement of risk, usage, and exposure in seconds.

2. Provides contextual recommendations: it highlights missing entitlements, stale discovery sources, or unlinked installations based on your data patterns.

3. Enables natural-language queries: analysts can ask questions in plain English (“Show me all publishers with under-licensing risk above £10,000”) instead of building custom filters.

4. Supports renewals and optimisation: AI can surface declining usage and upcoming renewals, helping teams focus on the right conversations at the right time.

Why it matters: SAM insights become accessible to Finance, Procurement, and leadership, not just technical specialists.

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The promise - and the pitfalls

The promise

• Faster insights and reporting
• Clearer communication with non-SAM stakeholders
• Less manual analysis
• Better renewal and risk prioritisation

The pitfalls

• Garbage in, garbage out: AI reflects the quality of your data
• Missing context: AI doesn’t understand custom contracts or exceptions
• Governance risk: Unreviewed AI insights can lead to bad decisions
• Over-reliance: Teams still need to challenge and validate outputs

In short: Now Assist doesn’t replace the SAM function - it augments it. But it only adds value when your foundations are solid.

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Where AI delivers real value

Here are three practical examples of how Now Assist can create measurable impact - if deployed correctly.

Executive reporting: Generate clear, credible compliance narratives in minutes, not days.

Example: “Your top three compliance risks this quarter are Oracle, IBM, and Adobe. Estimated exposure is £250K, driven by unlinked entitlements in cost centre EMEA-04.”

Renewal planning: Identify declining usage early and go into negotiations prepared.

Risk prioritisation:  AI can summarise which publishers or applications have the highest audit exposure, helping SAM teams focus on what matters most.

Note: these benefits only materialise when your data is accurate, current, and normalised.

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How to prepare SAM Pro for AI

Before switching on Now Assist, make sure three foundations are in place:

1. Data Quality

• Discovery and CMDB coverage above 90%
• Normalisation at 95%+
• Clean, current entitlement data aligned to the Content Service

2. Governance

• Clear rules on who can act on AI insights
• Review and validation workflows before decisions are made

3. People and process

• Train teams to interpret AI outputs critically
• Embed AI insights into regular SAM, Finance, and Procurement reviews

 

Final Thought

AI won’t replace SAM analysts!

But SAM teams that know how to guide AI with clean data, clear governance, and sound judgment, will move faster and deliver more value than ever before. Now Assist for SAM Pro is a powerful ally. Used well, it turns automation into intelligence.

If you’re ready to adopt AI without losing accuracy or control, we’re here to help.