Cisco's innovation arm, Outshift, has unveiled JARVIS, an AI-powered assistant designed to streamline platform-engineering workflows. JARVIS offers a conversational interface that simplifies complex tasks, significantly reducing execution time and cognitive load. It integrates with over 40 tools, enabling seamless provisioning of infrastructure, onboarding of applications to CI, and retrieval of critical documents based on natural language requests. The engineering team communicates with JARVIS using familiar tools like Jira, Webex, and Backstage, assigning Jira tickets directly to JARVIS for execution.

The impact of JARVIS has been substantial. As highlighted in a LangChain blog post, tasks that previously took a week, such as CI/CD pipeline setups, can now be completed in under an hour. According to NetworkWorld, engineers often spend up to 70% of their time on repetitive tasks, which JARVIS helps automate, turning lengthy processes into quick actions.

JARVIS employs a hybrid AI architecture that combines various techniques. Its main engine relies on large language models (LLMs) for natural language processing, but it includes safeguards for accuracy and reliability. This includes:

1. Rule-based validation using symbolic logic to ensure outputs meet predefined standards.
2. Clearly defined workflows to maintain consistency in task execution.
3. Agent supervision, where one agent verifies the work of another to enhance quality control.

For knowledge questions, JARVIS utilizes retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), allowing AI agents to supplement their in-memory knowledge with information from external structured data sources.

Currently, JARVIS is used internally at Cisco, but the company plans to open-source key components, including its integration with Backstage and standalone agents. JARVIS also contributes to the Internet of Agents initiative, focusing on intelligent software agents that communicate and collaborate across shared protocols.

Cisco and ServiceNow Partnership

Cisco and ServiceNow have deepened their partnership to facilitate secure AI adoption for businesses. This collaboration aims to streamline how enterprises can adopt and manage AI while mitigating risks. The first integration will focus on harnessing Cisco's AI Defense and ServiceNow's Security Operations (SecOps) to enhance AI application governance.

Scott Crawford from S&P Global Market Intelligence noted that "customers are searching for simplified solutions that not only address the complexity of technology but also offer simplified workflows." With the rapid growth of enterprise AI, new risks have emerged that traditional cybersecurity solutions do not address. The partnership aims to provide integrated platforms that enhance visibility, vulnerability management, and incident response for AI applications.

Key features of the Cisco and ServiceNow integration include:

• Visibility: Cisco AI Defense discovers AI workloads and data that map to applications in the ServiceNow platform.
• Vulnerability Management: Automated assessments by Cisco AI Defense, with findings integrated into ServiceNow for monitoring.
• Real-time Protection: Cisco AI Runtime Protection offers guardrails for AI applications, with insights shared with ServiceNow for proactive security measures.
• Incident Response: Telemetry from AI applications is leveraged to enhance investigations and facilitate threat response.
• Governance: Mapping of Cisco AI Defense controls to ServiceNow’s Integrated Risk Management platform for compliance measurement.

Field trials for this integration are set to begin soon, with a full rollout expected in the latter half of 2025.

Further Advancements in AI Security

As organizations increasingly adopt AI, the need for robust security frameworks is becoming critical. Cisco and ServiceNow's partnership aims to address the complexities of AI governance and risk management. The integration of advanced AI security with streamlined operational workflows will empower organizations to confidently scale their AI initiatives.

Jeetu Patel, EVP and Chief Product Officer at Cisco, stated, "The integration of ServiceNow and Cisco AI Defense is game-changing for enterprises." This partnership is designed to provide a unified approach to managing AI risks and compliance, ensuring that organizations can harness the power of AI without compromising on security.

For businesses looking to implement secure single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and user management, SSOJet offers an API-first platform featuring directory sync, SAML, OIDC, and magic link authentication.

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from SSOJet authored by Gopal Gehlot. Read the original post at: https://ssojet.com/blog/cisco-unveils-jarvis-ai-assistant-transforming-platform-engineering/