Dyna Software has added source control management to its GuardRails platform, targeting governance risks emerging as enterprises and ServiceNow partners use AI to accelerate application development.
The new capability brings version history, change tracking, structured code review, and automated deployment to ServiceNow as organizations seek to maintain oversight of increasingly AI-assisted development.
- AI-assisted development exposes ServiceNow governance gaps
- AI-generated code opens new questions about business context application
- Faster development creates a review bottleneck for partners
- GuardRails SCM adds auditability and deployment controls
- Dyna sees advisory services opportunity for ServiceNow partners
AI-assisted development exposes ServiceNow governance gaps
Speaking with Channel Insider, Dyna Software co-founder and CEO Ron Browning said the underlying source control problem predates generative AI.
When asked what gap in the way ServiceNow teams manage their code led Dyna to introduce source control management to GuardRails, Browning pointed to a longstanding issue with the platform.
“The very short answer is that there’s never been proper source control management on the platform,” Browning said.
According to Browning, ServiceNow teams have historically lacked some of the source control processes commonly used in other software development environments.
Earlier in his career, Browning said he managed evidence from ServiceNow code reviews in a spreadsheet containing links to update sets, along with information on who reviewed them, when they were reviewed, and any comments.
While the process provided a record, demonstrating to auditors that the review had taken place could still be difficult.
AI-assisted development is increasing the urgency of that problem.
“The thing that really got us recognizing we need to do something in this space was more about AI coming into play,” Browning said. “In the last year and a half, we have seen way more development being done by AI.”
AI-generated code opens new questions about business context application
Browning said ServiceNow developers typically use AI to assist with their work, rather than having AI directly build and deploy changes to production.
“The part that gets missed, though, is context of your unique environment,” Browning said.
The concern, according to Browning, is less about whether an AI model can generate technically sound code and more about whether that code accounts for the architecture, dependencies, standards, and risks of a specific organization.
A generated script may work as intended on its own, yet still conflict with architectural standards or with other components that the developer and AI system do not recognize.
“I think where we’re going to see things shift here in the future is a little bit less on, is the code really good code, and more on, is this actually fitting what our need is, and all the other things we’ve got going on,” Browning said.
Faster development creates a review bottleneck for partners
AI may increase the speed at which ServiceNow teams and partners produce code, but Browning cautioned that those productivity gains can create another problem if governance processes cannot keep pace.
“For partners, the risk really is, am I creating more work, because I’ve got a junior doing a whole bunch of stuff, and now I’ve got to have a person, it’s really expensive and time-constrained to review it,” Browning said.
He pointed out the differences between senior and junior developers’ use of AI. Experienced practitioners can draw on their knowledge of the platform to identify contextual gaps, while less experienced developers may not recognize what the AI system has overlooked.
That could leave partners producing work faster with AI while still relying on experienced, time-constrained staff to review it before moving forward.
GuardRails SCM is intended to automate and structure parts of that process. According to Dyna Software, the new capabilities include:
- Auditable version history and change tracking
- Automated release and deployment
- Structured code review and approval workflows
- Traceability and accountability
- Continuous visibility into platform health and technical debt
- Governance of human and AI-assisted development
GuardRails SCM adds auditability and deployment controls
For regulated organizations, the governance issue goes beyond development efficiency.
Browning shared that they had one large US customer that was mandated to increase its use of AI, while also needing to demonstrate that AI-assisted development complied with its existing controls.
“You have to comply against our controls, and you have to be able to prove it, otherwise you’re not doing any AI,” Browning said, describing the customer’s internal mandate.
That combination can put ServiceNow teams in a difficult position when existing development processes do not provide clear evidence around how changes were reviewed and approved.
According to Dyna Software, GuardRails SCM is intended to address that gap by maintaining a history of code and configuration changes in ServiceNow, providing teams with a record of how changes are reviewed and approved.
The company also sees the capability as particularly relevant to regulated industries, including financial services, healthcare, and telecommunications.
Dyna looks to partners for GuardRails growth
Asked about Dyna Software’s go-to-market strategy for GuardRails SCM and the role partners will play in bringing the platform to ServiceNow customers, Browning said the company has intentionally focused on developing its technology rather than building a large direct sales organization.
“Partners really are a key part of how we sort of go to market, and in a lot of cases, we’re looking at where their focuses are, and how we can complement that,” Browning said.
Dyna is also working with partners to determine how GuardRails can be right-sized for different parts of the ServiceNow market, including how its pricing and product structure can fit organizations with different needs and ServiceNow investments.
Dyna sees advisory services opportunity for ServiceNow partners
In the near future, Browning sees a broader opportunity in services for ServiceNow partners, beyond merely selling or implementing governance technology.
Over the next two years, he expects organizations to need help designing the processes, roles, and controls surrounding AI-assisted development, particularly as they determine how to incorporate AI while maintaining governance.
“A huge opportunity is going to be in the overall sort of process construct of governance to help companies understand and figure out how to absorb this properly,” Browning said.
He specifically pointed to advisory services as an opportunity for partners, with technology such as GuardRails serving as one component alongside the processes and roles organizations establish around AI governance.
GuardRails with SCM is available immediately, with pricing based on deployment scope.