Unpacking Yokohama: AI, Compliance, and What’s Next for ServiceNow

At the time of this posting, the ServiceNow Yokohama release has been live and available for roughly one week. And within hours of the release, we saw a slew of published takes on what the “most impressive,” “most improved,” and “most _________” new features are. 

We decided to take a beat and let it sink in. While many jumped on first impressions, we took time to explore how ServiceNow continues to evolve its platform, enhance its data architecture, and integrate AI deeper into workflows. 

Our general takeaway: ServiceNow has improved the operational effectiveness of the platform, solidifying and deepening the advanced data layer structure, and… adding a little something called Agentic AI pretty much everywhere. 

Just ask ServiceNow's president, chief product officer, and chief operating officer, Amit Zavery:

“Agentic AI is the new frontier. Enterprise leaders are no longer just experimenting with AI agents; they're demanding AI solutions that can help them achieve productivity at scale.” 

That’s a pretty strong sentiment to follow. But here’s our take on what to expect, from the major upgrades to the “under-the-radar” features you can expect upon upgrading.

What’s Everyone Talking About?

When it comes to big updates, Yokohama does not disappoint. While it’s fairly common for business blogs to indiscriminately use terms like “groundbreaking,” Yokohama does indeed introduce several notable features that have already captured significant attention across the platform. 

These features are far more than incremental improvements and mark a substantial leap forward in how businesses can harness ServiceNow's full potential. 

The Yokohama release introduces innovations that will improve how teams manage their digital environments by transforming operations, streamlining compliance, and enhancing large-scale automation capabilities. From the next generation of AI-powered automation to key advancements in data management and compliance frameworks, these updates promise to drive meaningful improvements across the ServiceNow ecosystem.

Agentic AI and Automation

As you can assume from our opening paragraph (and the state of the world) the Yokohama release expands considerably on AI-powered automation, continuing to move things forward with Agentic AI. This feature allows ServiceNow users to automate complex workflows with even more precision and intelligence.

The AI not only recognizes patterns and predicts outcomes but is also capable of handling routine tasks more autonomously. Think faster, more reliable task execution with fewer manual touchpoints. 

CoreX Conclusion: Lean HARD into AI. We know AI adoption is inevitable, but those early adopters will gain the largest competitive advantage. Start small with high-impact, low-effort pilots, and scale strategically. (But remember, your results will only be as good as your data.)  

Governance and Compliance Enhancements

The release also strengthens governance and compliance capabilities with a comprehensive framework for decision-making across strategy, portfolio, and technical domains. 

Why does this matter so much? A primary concern in an AI-driven future is the absence of safeguards and the potential security threats that may emerge beyond our control.

Therefore, for every groundbreaking feature that excites your Chief Transformation Officer, there must be a corresponding innovation that ensures your CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) can sleep a little easier each night.

Enhanced compliance frameworks help organizations meet stringent regulations, offering improved audit readiness and risk management. The Yokohama release strengthens compliance management in response to evolving regulations like NIS2, HIPAA Security Rule updates, and CIRCIA by enhancing risk assessment, automated reporting, and security controls. 

(Please allow us to pause and catch our breath.)

In short, organizations can proactively manage regulatory requirements, ensuring streamlined adherence to cybersecurity, healthcare, and critical infrastructure mandates.

CoreX Conclusion: For every cutting-edge feature that excites transformation leaders, ServiceNow provides compliance tools that help CISOs maintain security and regulatory alignment.

Data Management Console

Data sprawl is a growing challenge. The Data Management Console gives administrators real-time visibility into storage usage, enabling smarter decisions about retention, archiving, and cost control. With real-time insights, users can make informed decisions about archiving or deleting outdated records.

With Yokohama, the ServiceNow platform now simplifies data retention management, supports policy compliance, and maintains system performance. Administrators can also automate data management tasks like archiving and purging obsolete records for more precise control over data retention.

As organizations continue to evolve, these updates will play a central role in driving efficiency, ensuring compliance, and maintaining streamlined workflows.

CoreX Conclusion: Data governance is becoming a key differentiator. With Yokohama, businesses can optimize storage, enforce policies, and maintain compliance—without sacrificing performance.

“Under the Radar” Features You Shouldn’t Sleep On

While the high-impact features above are getting a lot of attention, some updates in Yokohama could prove just as crucial to users looking to unlock more value from their ServiceNow platform. They offer critical enhancements that can improve efficiency, security, and overall user experience.

To ensure nothing gets overlooked amidst all the buzz, here are the updates we’re most excited about:

New User Interface Customization Options

The Yokohama release gives businesses greater flexibility to create and refine their ServiceNow environments, offering expanded design elements, more intuitive controls, and AI-assisted workspace generation. With creator-driven tools, organizations can align the UI with their brand identity, ensuring a more cohesive and visually engaging experience.

The new UI Builder enhancements, powered by generative AI, allow low-code teams to build and modify interfaces faster than ever, reducing reliance on deep technical expertise. These updates provide more granular control over layouts, improved navigation, and a streamlined experience across desktop and mobile—ensuring employees can work seamlessly across devices with minimal friction.

CoreX Conclusion: ServiceNow’s UX has always been a competitive advantage, and with AI-driven UI creation tools, it's now more accessible to more teams. As ServiceNow expands beyond IT into ERP, customer experience, and broader enterprise solutions, its focus on intuitive design and flexible UI creation remains a core strength. Organizations that leverage these tools will accelerate digital transformation while keeping user experience at the center of innovation.

Cross-Platform Integration

Yokohama has strengthened ServiceNow's ability to integrate well with external tools and systems. It streamlines API interactions and expands pre-built connectors, reducing manual setup and accelerating enterprise-wide integration, enabling smoother data flows between ServiceNow and other critical business applications such as CRM and ERP. 

This is crucial for teams looking to improve efficiency, reduce manual data entry, and ensure that systems are connected without the need for complex, time-consuming setups. 

CoreX Conclusion: ServiceNow’s strength has always been its ability to connect disparate systems and unify workflows across the enterprise— key advances over the past five years, such as the API Integration Hub, have been game-changers in making cross-platform connectivity happen, enabling developers to seamlessly pull and push data across platforms, reducing complexity and accelerating automation. In Yokohama, enhanced cross-platform integration brings data, automation, and user experience into better alignment. 

Change Management with Risk Assessment Tools

Change management is a core part of IT operations, and with the Yokohama update, ServiceNow has introduced more sophisticated risk assessment tools to streamline this process. This feature helps businesses assess the potential impact of changes before they’re made, reducing the risk of service disruptions or failed deployments. 

As organizations modernize IT systems, this enhancement ensures smoother transitions and minimizes the negative impact of system changes, making it essential for companies with complex IT environments. These two features are essential for organizations looking to enhance their resilience and reduce risks associated with changes in their IT environments.

CoreX Conclusion: Transformation vision is rarely the problem. Execution and adoption are. But AI-powered automation is shifting the equation. With AI agents assisting employees through ITIL change processes and risk assessments, teams can navigate complexity faster, reduce manual effort, and make more informed decisions. AI increases the velocity of change, but success still depends on strategic adoption.

Automated Data Management & Retention

ServiceNow’s new data retention management tools help businesses automate and streamline their data archiving processes. By allowing administrators to set policies for data retention, the platform ensures that outdated or unnecessary data is automatically archived or purged, helping businesses maintain a more efficient and cost-effective data storage solution. 

With real-time insights into data usage and retention, businesses can reduce the risks associated with data overload, stay compliant with data protection regulations, and avoid unnecessary storage costs.

The Bottom Line

Yokohama delivers smarter automation, stronger compliance, and more seamless integration. Whether you're adopting AI or strengthening governance, now is the time to explore these updates and gain a competitive edge.

We've only scratched the surface of what Yokohama's myriad new and updated features bring to the table. With an upgrade this big, it's important to have a trustworthy guide through the features. Check back here often for guides, tips, and best practices for making the most of your experience.