Cloudera launches zero-copy connector for ServiceNow

Cloudera has launched a Workflow Data Fabric Zero Copy Connector for ServiceNow, extending the companies' partnership in AI and data management.

The connector is designed to let organisations query data where it already sits, rather than transferring or duplicating it into other systems. According to Cloudera, this allows enterprises to run autonomous AI-driven workflows in real time while maintaining governance and security controls across hybrid environments.

The launch comes as many companies struggle to turn AI plans into working systems because data remains spread across separate platforms and environments. Cloudera cited research showing that nearly eight in 10 organisations say their AI initiatives are being held back by incomplete access to data.

For businesses in regulated sectors, the challenge is not only access but control. Organisations in areas such as financial services and healthcare often need to manage personal and sensitive information under strict rules, making data movement both an operational and compliance concern.

Cloudera said the connector removes the need for traditional data movement pipelines. Instead, enterprises can query information directly in place, reducing storage duplication and keeping data such as PII, PHI and PCI inside protected environments.

The company positioned the product as part of a wider shift in how organisations are building AI systems. Rather than centralising data into a single location for analysis and automation, some are looking for ways to bring AI tools to existing data estates spread across public cloud, on-premise and other environments.

This becomes more important as organisations move from AI pilots to broader operational use. At that stage, businesses face greater scrutiny over how automated systems make decisions, where the underlying data came from, and whether actions can be traced back to source information.

Leo Brunnick, Chief Product Officer at Cloudera, said traceability is central to wider deployment. "Enterprises cannot scale autonomous AI without being able to prove why decisions are made.

"Without this traceability, organisations cannot safely deploy AI agents or meet regulatory demands. This is especially critical for Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Data Officers, and Chief AI Officers, who carry the risk, security, and compliance burden as AI moves from pilot to production-scale operations," he said.

Partnership expansion

The rollout also marks a further step in Cloudera's relationship with ServiceNow. ServiceNow joined Cloudera's partner AI ecosystem in 2025, and the latest integration ties Cloudera's data platform more closely to ServiceNow's workflow software.

ServiceNow said the arrangement is intended to help businesses connect trusted enterprise data with workflow automation. The companies are positioning the integration as a way to keep AI-triggered actions inside ServiceNow linked to source data without moving sensitive information out of its existing environment.

Pramod Mahadevan, VP, Data & Analytics Product Ecosystem at ServiceNow, described Cloudera's role in the partnership. "Cloudera plays a critical role in breaking down data silos by bringing enterprise data into a single, governed platform where it's already curated, processed, and trusted.

"By leveraging those high-quality insights, we're able to drive intelligent automation and workflows, enabling closed-loop remediation that helps organisations quickly identify, address, and resolve issues with greater efficiency and confidence on the ServiceNow AI Platform," he said.

Regional relevance

The announcement has particular relevance in Australia and New Zealand, where businesses and public sector bodies are under growing pressure to show that AI systems are transparent, governed and auditable. That concern has become more visible as governments and regulators increase scrutiny of how organisations manage autonomous decision-making systems.

Cloudera's local leadership said customers in the region want faster AI adoption but remain cautious about data handling. The company argued that private AI deployments are gaining attention in highly regulated sectors because they offer a route to stronger control over data and model use.

Vini Cardoso, Chief Technology Officer for Cloudera Australia and New Zealand, said, "Australian organisations are eager to accelerate AI adoption, provided their data remains secure, governed, and trusted. As enterprises in highly regulated sectors like financial services and healthcare shift toward private AI, there is a critical need to power advanced autonomous workflows without moving or duplicating sensitive data. By enabling zero-copy access with full traceability and control, we are helping organisations deploy autonomous AI with confidence - without compromising on security, compliance, or data integrity their industry demands."

Cloudera said the connector is integrated with ServiceNow in a way that supports governance in hybrid settings, with source-level traceability attached to AI-driven actions.