Microsoft has announced a significant expansion to its AI-driven Copilot platform, introducing new autonomous agent capabilities designed to transform business processes. The update was shared by CEO and Chairman Satya Nadella on X, detailing how Copilot Studio and Dynamics 365 will offer businesses the tools to build and manage AI agents, with the aim of improving efficiency across multiple sectors.
The update focuses on the public preview of autonomous agent capabilities in Copilot Studio, scheduled to launch next month. According to Microsoft, these agents will help businesses streamline various functions, including sales, finance, and supply chain management. With the new tools, companies will be able to create agents ranging from simple task assistants to fully autonomous systems that handle entire business processes.
These agents, designed to work within the Microsoft 365 environment, are expected to assist with tasks like lead generation, processing sales orders, and managing supply chains. They will leverage data from systems such as Microsoft 365 Graph, Dataverse, and Fabric, allowing them to perform tasks autonomously while adhering to security and governance protocols.
In addition to the public preview, Microsoft announced the introduction of 10 new autonomous agents within Dynamics 365. These agents are designed to help businesses move towards AI-first processes across sales, customer service, finance, and supply chains.
One such agent, the Sales Qualification Agent, aims to prioritise high-value sales opportunities by researching leads and automating outreach with personalised communication. Another, the Supplier Communications Agent, autonomously tracks supplier performance to prevent disruptions in the supply chain. Meanwhile, Customer Intent and Customer Knowledge Management Agents are designed to enhance customer service by autonomously resolving issues and improving knowledge sharing within teams.
Microsoft has stressed that data security and governance are a key focus in these new agent capabilities. As per the tech giant, Copilot Studio agents will include stringent security measures such as data loss prevention and robust authentication protocols, all of which can be governed by IT administrators to ensure compliance with company policies.