Microsoft Tests 'Copilot Tasks' To Automate To-Do Lists
Microsoft is reportedly testing a new feature called Copilot Tasks, which aims to automatically build and prioritize to-do lists from information contained in emails and meetings. The feature is designed to help users manage tasks by identifying action items and organizing them by urgency.
This feature represents a strategic shift for Microsoft, evolving Copilot from a conversational "chat app" into an action-oriented "do app." The goal is to create an autonomous AI agent that doesn't just answer questions but actively completes multi-step tasks in the background on the user's behalf. Copilot Tasks operates on its own dedicated cloud-based computer and browser, allowing it to execute workflows without using the resources of a user's local device. This architecture enables it to handle long-running, scheduled, or recurring jobs, such as monitoring flight prices and rebooking if a fare drops, or compiling weekly progress reports from project files. The system is designed to work across multiple applications and services to complete complex goals. For example, a user could ask it to "plan a birthday party," and Copilot could then find and book a venue, send email invitations, and track RSVPs, asking for user consent before making payments or sending messages. This functionality appears to be an expansion of a previous feature called Copilot Actions. While Actions function like specific, user-triggered commands, Tasks are designed to manage more complex, longer-running projects with multiple steps that operate autonomously behind the scenes. The underlying technology relies on Microsoft Graph to access and synthesize information from a user's emails, documents, and calendar to understand context and execute tasks. This integration allows it to pull together disparate pieces of information, like turning notes from a Teams meeting into a formal slide deck with talking points. This move into autonomous agents places Microsoft in direct competition with similar efforts from OpenAI and Anthropic. The feature is currently in a limited research preview with a public waitlist, as Microsoft gathers real-world feedback before a broader rollout.
