Topic
This article describes the Patch Intelligence AI Approval Override feature for Microsoft Windows patch policies. It also explains how to activate, configure, and manage artificial intelligence (AI)-driven patch risk analysis and mitigation.
Environment
NinjaOne Patching
Description
The Patch Intelligence AI Approval Override feature is an AI-based tool for detecting patch risks in Windows patch policies. During patching, the AI will override automated approvals for patches it considers to have known issues or cautions. If an override occurs, you can apply the patch manually or have the system reject it altogether.
Activating AI Approval Overrides
You must activate the NinjaOne AI App and activate the feature in the OS patching settings before using it.
Activate NinjaOne AI
Refer to NinjaOne Patching: Getting Started With Patch Intelligence AI to learn how to activate the NinjaOne Patch Intelligence AI.
Activate Patch Intelligence AI Approvals Overrides
- In NinjaOne, navigate to Administration → Policies, then choose a Windows policy from the Agent policies list.
- The policy’s management page will open. Select OS patching, scroll to the Patch Intelligence AI approvals overrides section, and then click Edit.
- The Edit AI approval overrides dialog will open. Activate the toggles. You can choose to trigger the override for either or both of the following:
- Enable approval changes for known issues: Microsoft has reported known issues with a patch and may offer workarounds.
- Enable approval changes for caution: Users are seeing increased failure rates or rollbacks, or problems have been reported in the community. NinjaOne AI detects a major reason for concern with a patch.
- Using the drop-down menus, select Reject or Manual options to specify whether the Patch Intelligence AI should move the patch to manual approval or reject it outright. Only patches with automated approvals are changed. Manually applied patches remain untouched.
- Click Apply and then save the policy.
Patch Sentiment Evaluation
Patch Intelligence AI evaluates the state of Windows patches every six hours. If the system applies patches immediately after release, the feature may not have had sufficient time to determine a patch sentiment. As it learns new information, the system may move a patch from an approved state to a manual or rejected state.
Reviewing and Applying Overridden Patches
When Patch Intelligence AI overrides a patch approval, the override takes effect the next time the device agent runs a patch scan, not immediately when the override fires. Until the device completes a scan, the patch retains its previous status and remains visible in the Approved tab. After the scan runs, the patch's status updates, and it moves to the Pending tab.
To see the updated status sooner, you can initiate an immediate patch scan on the device instead of waiting for the next scheduled scan. Refer to NinjaOne Patching: Windows OS Patch Management NinjaOne Patching: Windows OS Patch Management for more information about initiating patch scans.
Installing Patches Immediately
To install a patch immediately without waiting for the next patch cycle, select the patch and click Apply Now. This action runs a patch job for only the patches you select; it does not apply all approved patches on the device. Reboot behavior follows the device's patch policy settings.
You do not need to approve a patch before clicking Apply Now. The action approves and applies the patch in a single step. For patches in the Pending tab, the button label reads Approve and apply now.
Additional Resources
For more information on Patch Intelligence AI, refer to NinjaOne Patching: Patch Intelligence AI.