New York, Feb 26, 2026, 18:26 ET — After-hours
- ServiceNow finished Thursday at $109.30, gaining 4.86%.
- ServiceNow introduced “Autonomous Workforce” on this day and confirmed that EmployeeWorks is immediately available. The company is targeting a wider launch of its initial AI specialist in Q2 2026. ServiceNow Newsroom
ServiceNow surged almost 5% Thursday, lifted by the launch of its “Autonomous Workforce” suite and the integration of Moveworks with its AI platform. Shares finished the day up 4.86% at $109.30, with intraday moves ranging from $106.57 to $110.15. StockAnalysis
Tech stocks faced some turbulence. The Nasdaq lost 1.18% as Nvidia’s post-earnings momentum faded for investors, but the S&P 500 software and services index managed a 1.4% rise — a now-typical divergence in recent weeks.
Software shares have taken a hit lately, with investors uneasy over the possibility that AI might disrupt established subscription models—despite the fact that firms are plowing cash into developing the technology. “The market is going to have to continue to sort out that push and pull,” Zach Hill, portfolio manager at Horizon Investments, said a day earlier. Reuters
ServiceNow is rolling out what it calls “AI specialists”—automated tools built to actually perform tasks, not just respond to queries. The first out of the gate: a Level 1 service desk agent designed to tackle basic IT tickets, such as resetting passwords or handling access requests. During a media call, John Aisien, a ServiceNow product executive, emphasized that these AI specialists “cannot exceed their authority,” operating strictly within the same permission boundaries as their human counterparts. CIO
The company touts its internal results: more than 90% of its employee IT requests now get handled autonomously, with cases wrapped up 99% faster compared to human agents, it says.
Some analysts are eager to see if these guardrails hold up in the real world. Will McKeon-White, an analyst at Forrester, said he’s keeping an eye on whether ServiceNow’s controls actually stop “improvisation” when fed poor inputs. ServiceNow is spotlighting early customers such as CVS Health and the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. TechTarget
Just the day before, ServiceNow announced that Moveworks, its recently acquired AI assistant firm, has landed FedRAMP Moderate authorization—a key U.S. government cloud security seal needed for a slew of federal contracts. ServiceNow noted that Moveworks GovCloud, which is hosted on AWS GovCloud, is set for a spotlight at its Government Forum on March 5.
There’s a notable date coming up that investors are watching closely. According to a recent SEC filing, CEO Bill McDermott and several other executives have terminated their 10b5-1 plans—those are the pre-set trading agreements. McDermott, meanwhile, has lined up a $3 million share purchase for Feb. 27, which will turn up in a Form 4 filing.
ServiceNow’s stock price has moved lately, partly because of mechanics. A 5-for-1 split took effect Dec. 17. In its most recent quarterly update, the company said the board signed off on another $5 billion for buybacks, with $2 billion of that going toward an accelerated repurchase.
The risks haven’t gone away: rolling out new AI offerings often drags, and the first wave of “agents” can spark concerns over mistakes, supervision, and liability if things go sideways. Software guidance remains a sore spot too—Salesforce shares dropped after hours following a lackluster outlook, a reminder of how fast the mood shifts. MarketWatch
Traders now eye the CEO’s Feb. 27 purchase disclosure, plus signs of buying from public-sector clients after the March 5 forum. The spotlight will also be on ServiceNow’s ability to show commercial momentum before its Knowledge 2026 event in Las Vegas, slated for May 5–7.
