Microsoft has unveiled a major expansion to its AI-powered Copilot platform, introducing new autonomous agent capabilities aimed at transforming business processes. The announcement, made by CEO and Chairman Satya Nadella on X, highlights how Copilot Studio and Dynamics 365 will equip businesses with tools to build and manage AI agents, enhancing efficiency across various sectors.
The update centers on the upcoming public preview of autonomous agent features in Copilot Studio, set to launch next month. According to Microsoft, these agents will assist businesses in streamlining functions such as sales, finance, and supply chain management. The new tools will allow companies to create agents ranging from simple task assistants to fully autonomous systems capable of managing entire business processes.
Designed to operate within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, these agents are expected to handle tasks like lead generation, processing sales orders, and supply chain management. They will leverage data from sources such as Microsoft 365 Graph, Dataverse, and Fabric, enabling them to function autonomously while adhering to strict security and governance standards.
Alongside the public preview, Microsoft introduced 10 new autonomous agents within Dynamics 365, designed to help businesses adopt AI-driven processes in areas like sales, customer service, finance, and supply chain management.
Among these is the Sales Qualification Agent, which prioritizes high-value sales opportunities by researching leads and automating personalized outreach. The Supplier Communications Agent autonomously monitors supplier performance to prevent supply chain disruptions. Additionally, the Customer Intent and Customer Knowledge Management Agents aim to enhance customer service by resolving issues autonomously and improving internal knowledge sharing.
Microsoft emphasized that data security and governance are integral to these new agent capabilities. Copilot Studio agents will feature robust security measures, including data loss prevention and strong authentication protocols, all of which can be managed by IT administrators to ensure compliance with company policies.