I have been in this industry long enough to know the difference between genuine transformation and clever marketing. That said, after learning more during ServiceNow's AI Summit in Dallas, the Zurich release feels like a true turning point, where intelligent automation moves from a side project into the backbone of enterprise operations.
CoreX has guided a wealth of ServiceNow transformations. But we’re still seeing organizations treat AI like an experiment, bolting it onto existing processes and hoping it creates value. As a result, adoption stalls, momentum fades, and leaders wonder why change feels so difficult. Zurich is poised to potentially change that equation.
To write our thoughts on every new update, feature, and announcement would take months. But we do want to share some thoughts on the update, and the things we're looking forward to trying now that the release is live.
Here are just a few of many (and we mean MANY) highlights from Zurich.
Data Integration That Makes Sense
The first highlight we noticed is the introduction of the new Workflow Data Fabric Hub. For years, data silos have slowed digital transformation. Zurich addresses this with real-time access to external sources without duplicating or migrating data.
Organizations can now connect directly to Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Databricks, or Oracle and use that data inside ServiceNow workflows. No massive ETL projects, no six-month delays. Just work done in weeks when it used to take months.
Development That Scales Safely
Every development leader knows the frustration of teams bottlenecked by shared instances. Zurich solves this with Developer Sandboxes. Administrators and delegated developers can request and manage individual sandboxes on the same underlying instance, complete with Git integration. Teams can branch, merge, and deploy without overwriting each other’s work.
The Zurich release also enhances App Engine Studio. Developers now have support for new file types such as agentic workflows and skills, a redesigned App Details page, improved Git integration, and a dark theme for comfort. The navigator panel has been updated for faster access to apps and files. These updates together mean development teams can move with confidence and speed, rather than navigating around bottlenecks.
AI That Understands Context
NowAssist has matured. Zurich expands its capabilities with contextual answers, AI Search, smarter self-service, improved email reply suggestions with citations, better multilingual translation management, and optional voice input for accessibility. Organizations can also choose from top AI providers like Gemini, Claude, and Azure OpenAI.
This flexibility matters. It allows enterprises to use the best model for each use case, whether that is reasoning, creative output, or strict integration with enterprise systems.
Security That Grows With You
Zurich strengthens enterprise security with new features in the Machine Identity Console and MFA management. Security teams gain visibility into machine-to-machine authentication, inbound integration configurations, and privileged accounts without MFA enabled. In turn, the new MFA Dashboard and Guided Setup simplify deployment and monitoring.
This level of visibility can help enterprises shift from reactive compliance to more proactive risk management. For organizations struggling to manage thousands of identities, these tools can bring a better semblance of control.
Mobile That Moves at the Speed of Work
Mobile usage continues to grow, and Zurich responds with updates that make the platform more practical in the field. Mobile App Builder and Mobile Card Builder are now integrated into ServiceNow Studio. Input screens are improved, error handling is clearer, and features such as local storage for videos and photos, multi-page navigation, error indicators, and updated app icons create a smoother user experience.
For quality assurance, the Automated Testing Framework adds features like Failure Insights and a configurable workspace for building tests directly on workspace pages. These improvements shorten development cycles and reduce time lost to troubleshooting.
Why the Zurich Release Matters
Again, we can only begin to scratch the surface here. But it’s pretty clear that Zurich signals the maturation of ServiceNow into an all-encompassing platform for AI-driven business transformation. With advanced AI, real-time data access, modern development environments, and enterprise-grade security, the platform creates possibilities that were not feasible before.
The organizations that move now will gain lasting advantages, with operations that adapt more quickly, stronger governance, and teams empowered to innovate safely.
It’s early, but we’re confident in saying Zurich is positioned to be the foundation for how modern enterprises will operate, with AI-enhanced workflows, real-time insights, and governed innovation at scale. The only question is whether your organization will take advantage of this transformation.
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CoreX has guided many successful enterprise transformations. Contact us to explore how Zurich's capabilities can accelerate your organization's journey to optimized operations.
