ServiceNow and Nvidia Launch Arc, a Secure AI Assistant for Mac

ServiceNow and Nvidia are marketing Arc, an assistant agent for office tasks, equipped with a security framework that extends down to the hardware level. The service is available to the general public, accessible on Mac, with a Windows version in the works.

Rules Apply in Real-Time Down to the Silicon

During task execution, ServiceNow's Super Intelligence Control Tower enforces company policies, while Nvidia OpenShell can restrict the agent's behavior if necessary. The IT department defines these policies in the Control Tower, and OpenShell can be directed to apply them in real-time. Organizations gain granular control over the systems accessible to agents, the APIs they can call, and the data they are permitted to read. AI Passport serves as a bridge between ServiceNow's infrastructure and Nvidia's checkpoints, and the entire system is designed for continuous monitoring of actions and permissions to prevent violations and unauthorized actions. In the event of a passport revocation by the Control Tower, OpenShell keeps the affected task in an isolated environment for later auditing, while allowing other approved actions to continue without interruption. Upon revocation, Nvidia BlueField can enforce the decision at machine speed before any further actions by the agent, establishing a rule enforcement mechanism in silicon designed to prevent circumvention by compromised software.

A Multi-Level Framework to Go Beyond Just Software Layer

Arc operates within a multi-level security framework. According to the partners, policy enforcement does not stop at the software layer but extends to execution and hardware layers. ServiceNow has partnered with Nvidia to combine AI capabilities with security safeguards in this system.

Use Cases and Local Execution or in OpenShell

Arc targets common activities relying on email and Microsoft Teams. The agent can be used either directly on an employee's computer or via Nvidia OpenShell on their terminal, and it has been designed for the new RTX Spark models. According to its creators, it gradually enhances its memory and capabilities, delegates the most sophisticated tasks to more powerful models only when necessary, and prioritizes local data storage whenever possible. It also proactively identifies actions to be taken by analyzing emails and meeting notes. ServiceNow and Nvidia present it as a long-term personal AI agent capable of handling daily work.

Immediate Availability and Planned Extensions

Arc is now available to the general public and was launched on Wednesday. The service currently operates on Mac, while Windows support is still in preparation. The agent was announced in May, and AI Passport, one of the components of the control framework, was introduced last week.

Security, an Identified Barrier to Agent Adoption

Among the barriers mentioned to the adoption of more autonomous AI agents in enterprises is the need for adequate security controls, following a summer marked by violations carried out by agents.