ServiceNow unveiled AI Passport, a runtime credential that verifies an AI agent’s permissions as it operates, anchored to the organization’s CMDB, governance policies, and workflow approvals to define its authorized scope.

AI Passport is cryptographically signed and can enforce permissions across multi‑agent workflows, with the ability to redirect, restrict, restore context, or shut down an agent if it oversteps its approved scope.

ServiceNow plans to roll out AI Passport, shadow AI detection, and AI Cost Management in Q4 2026, with Operational Resilience for financial services already available.

EmployeeWorks expands with Productivity Assistants configurable by administrators and Productivity Routines for recurring background work such as research, calendaring, and HR tasks, with controlled availability.

The article notes a competitive landscape among identity providers, workflow vendors, and enforcement platforms, while ServiceNow aims to simplify complexity with an integrated governance and execution solution.

ToolSmith lets developers build EmployeeWorks tools using natural-language instructions, leveraging a training set of more than 75,000 APIs, and a Conversations API enables integrating EmployeeWorks features into internal apps and other AI applications.

ServiceNow stresses that effective AI governance requires an accurate inventory of data and assets, aligning access rules with the CMDB and GRC framework.

A practical example shows a refunds agent with a configurable limit (e.g., $25) where requests below the limit auto‑approve and higher requests are blocked, illustrating a graduated governance model.

Agent authorization depends on knowing which data, tools, and systems an agent can access, tying permissions to data governance and security.

The system includes a soft kill switch concept—a governance dimmer that monitors, pauses, restricts, or deactivates an agent if it operates outside authorized boundaries.

Industry context: ServiceNow positions itself as a holistic governance layer to expand trust and governance around autonomous or agentic work across platforms.

EmployeeWorks enhancements build on a third‑generation, employee‑centric AI that combines context, reasoning, memory, and enterprise connections to enable role‑tailored productivity tools.