Microsoft Unleashes AI Agents That Work Like Employees

Microsoft has introduced Copilot Studio, an advanced platform designed to empower organizations to create custom AI agents, referred to as "copilots," tailored to specific business needs. This initiative aligns with Microsoft's broader strategy to integrate AI deeply into workplace processes, aiming to enhance productivity by automating routine tasks. Copilot Studio offers a low-code environment, enabling users without extensive coding expertise to develop, test, and deploy these agents efficiently. The platform supports integration with various data sources and systems, facilitating the creation of agents capable of handling tasks such as client inquiries, sales lead identification, and inventory management. Notably, Microsoft provides both the tools for custom agent development and a selection of pre-built agents to expedite deployment. Early adopters, including firms like McKinsey, Clifford Chance, and Pets at Home, have begun integrating these AI agents into their operations, leveraging them to streamline processes and reduce manual workloads. The introduction of Copilot Studio reflects Microsoft's commitment to making AI accessible across industries, promoting the development of autonomous agents that operate with minimal human intervention. This move is part of a broader trend among tech companies to demonstrate tangible returns on their AI investments by delivering practical, productivity-enhancing tools to the market.

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1. Microsoft Introduces 'AI Employees' That Can Handle Client Queries

Microsoft has announced the launch of autonomous AI agents, labeled as "AI employees," capable of handling tasks like client queries and identifying sales leads as part of their effort to enhance productivity. The company is allowing customers to build their own AI agents and is also offering 10 ready-made bots that can perform various roles, including customer service and supply chain management. Early adopters, such as McKinsey, Clifford Chance, and Pets at Home, are already integrating these AI tools. The Copilot Studio product, set to launch next month, empowers users to create agents without any coding knowledge. Powered by Microsoft's AI models and those developed by OpenAI, these agents are designed to reduce mundane tasks, thereby increasing efficiency. Microsoft executives, including CEO Satya Nadella, emphasize the potential of these tools to transform workplaces similarly to how personal computers revolutionized office environments. However, experts like Andrew Rogoyski from the Institute for People-Centred AI advise caution, noting that while the technology shows promise, AI agents have yet to match human capabilities fully.

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2. Microsoft to Let Clients Build AI Agents for Routine Tasks from November

Starting in November, Microsoft will allow customers to create autonomous AI agents using Copilot Studio, an application that requires minimal coding skills. These autonomous agents are designed to handle tasks such as client inquiries, sales leads, and inventory management with little human intervention. This initiative is part of Microsoft's strategy to capitalize on the growing AI technology sector and demonstrate returns on its significant AI investments. Similarly, other tech companies like Salesforce are also exploring the potential of such AI tools to monetize their AI investments. Microsoft will provide 10 ready-made agents for tasks including supply chain management and client communications. This move comes as tech companies face investor pressure to deliver tangible results from their AI expenditures, amid some concerns about the slow adoption pace of Copilot, Microsoft's chatbot interface for AI. Despite recent stock underperformance, Microsoft's shares have risen over 10% this year.

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3. Microsoft Banks on Copilot Agents in "AI-Powered World"

Microsoft is introducing new AI-driven autonomous agents for its Copilot AI assistant software, targeting enhancements in customer management. These agents, capable of tasks from simple responses to fully autonomous team operations, will be previewed next month and were first announced in May through Copilot Studio. The agents are designed to handle diverse functions such as sending emails, managing employee onboarding, prioritizing sales leads, supplier communications, and customer service. Despite the announcement, Microsoft shares dipped by 1% intraday but have risen by 10% in 2024. Concurrently, Salesforce launched a similar AI suite called Agentforce in September, aiming to maintain its lead as the top customer relationship management provider for the 11th consecutive year.

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4. Microsoft Relaunches Copilot for Business with Free AI Chat and Pay-As-You-Go Agents

Microsoft has relaunched its free Copilot for businesses as Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, an AI-driven chat service aimed at preparing users to adopt the full Microsoft 365 Copilot at $30 per month. Powered by GPT, it includes AI agents previously available only in the full subscription. These agents can automate tasks and manage inboxes. Users can create and utilize agents via Copilot Studio, with pricing managed through pay-as-you-go or consumption packs. Agent usage is measured in messages, with costs varying based on the type of response, from 1 cent for simple answers to 30 cents for accessing work data in the Microsoft Graph. Despite the complex pricing system, Microsoft aims for Copilot Chat to attract businesses to enhance productivity and justify the complete Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. The service remains popular among businesses already relying on Microsoft software.

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5. The Secret Weapon Helping Businesses Get Results from AI: Humans

The successful deployment of modern generative AI tools in businesses heavily relies on effective human intervention and systematic data organization. Companies using AI tools like Microsoft's Copilot and Salesforce's Agentforce have found that continuously updating and structuring their data is crucial for AI to provide valuable insights. This requirement has created new roles in content creation, editing, and organization specifically for AI consumption. BACA Systems, for example, developed a more efficient AI-powered customer-service chatbot by breaking extensive manuals into accessible articles. Similarly, the Bank of Queensland used Microsoft's