The ITSM software buyer's checklist for 2025

“You can’t get fired for buying ServiceNow even in 2025”

— Ancient IT proverb

That’s right.  

It’s confounding how even in 2025 what started as general IT wisdom has now become a convenient excuse to skip market research while buying ITSM software.

We’re not ignoring the legacy platform’s endless capabilities—if you have the budget, the time, and access to those certified solution consultants.

However, there are tons of ways you can already leverage AI to make ITSM better, more efficient, and cost effective. That’s only going to get better, and AI is only going to get more entrenched in the way we run enterprise IT.

AI simplifies how enterprises deploy and use ITSM platforms

Last year, artificial intelligence went from being mere hype to an indispensable tool in ITSM. Gartner’s decision to relaunch their Magic Quadrant specifically for AI-driven ITSM solutions speaks volumes.  

Our latest State of AI in IT report reinforces the fact that organizations who embrace AI are reaping significant benefits—a significant 55% boost in positive ROI over those that hesitate.

Today, AI isn’t just about better incident and change management. It’s about leveraging intelligent automation to predict, diagnose, and even resolve issues before your end-users know there was a problem.

Moreover, the rise of agentic AI marks a radical shift in how end users and IT teams interact and use these IT support platforms. AI agents can reason, plan, and act to take decisive actions on behalf of your employees.

The built-in vs. bolt-on AI is a real dilemma

That said, every other ITSM vendor is bolting on a layer of GenAI and calling it AI-powered.

Traditional ITSM tools are typically reactive in nature. An issue is reported, assigned, managed then resolved. Bolt-on AI often remains a secondary tool or layer, only slightly enhancing the existing workflows.

In contrast, with built-in AI, organizations can transform end-user and IT teams’ experiences with a unified architecture where data flows seamlessly and processes are tighter and more streamlined. The recent acquisition of AI software Moveworks by ServiceNow, underscores the need for AI-native platforms to reimagine enterprise IT.

Start here for long-time operational excellence

If you’re nodding along and now eager to explore modern, AI-driven ITSM platforms for the numerous benefits they offer, then this checklist is a condensed roadmap for you to evaluate options based on essential features, security, and AI capabilities.

This checklist is part of a comprehensive guide that we’ve created for you to have a clear understanding of your needs and the features to look for in an ITSM tool, setting you on the path to a successful implementation.

You can download the full guide here.

Happy evaluating!