ServiceNow buys DxContinuum; adds machine learning to intelligent automation

ServiceNow is acquiring machine-learning startup DxContinuum in a move which will see it add machine learning capabilities to its offerings to better predict outcomes and automate manual work requests in businesses.

The service management company says it will embed DxContinuum's technology in its platform and across its products, with advanced capabilities for automated categorisation available later this year.

Silicon Valley-based DxContinuum, which was founded in 2012 by former Oracle, HP and Fair Isaac staff, develops predictive analytics software for sales teams, using advanced big data, machine learning and natural language processing technologies.

Dave Wright, ServiceNow chief strategy officer, says adding DxContinuum to ServiceNow's intelligent automation platform will move much more of the heavy lifting of work processes for companies to machines, freeing people to focus on the highest value work.

ServiceNow says the DxContinuum's predictive models will add greater efficiency in categorising incoming requests from people and machines automatically.

"By applying DxContinuum's machine-learning algorithms to each customers' unique data set, ServiceNow can train machines on how to route IT, HR, customer service or other requests with a high level of accuracy," ServiceNow says.

"For example, the models could set the category of the inquiry and assign the ticket to the right team, as well as calculate associated risks.

"When enterprises better predict outcomes and automate actions, they can reduce costs dramatically and speed time to resolution.

McKinsey researchers have indicated that 49% of time spent on work activities could be automated, providing productivity gains for businesses.

ServiceNow is also eyeing up an increased push into the internet of things market off the back of the deal.

"As more internet of things devices make service requests, it is increasingly important that those requests be caegorised, routed and responded to," the company says.

"Hundreds of thousands of machine and manual work requests can now be effectively and automatically categorised and routed for each ServiceNow customer, bringing 'intelligent automation' of today's manual processes one step closer.

No financial details of the all-cash transaction were disclosed. ServiceNow is due to report its fiscal 2017 results later this month when full details of a acquisition willl be revealed.

The DxContinuum deal continues a string of acquisitions for ServiceNow, which acquired BrightPoint Security last July, and and cloud management startup Itapp in April.