Microsoft explores always‑on Copilot

Microsoft is testing a version of Copilot that keeps working after the chat window closes, handling multi-step tasks over time instead of answering one prompt at a time. (cnet.com) TechCrunch reported on April 13 that Microsoft confirmed to The Information it is exploring OpenClaw-like features for Microsoft 365 Copilot, aimed first at enterprise customers with tighter security controls. The report said the design centers on an “always working” Copilot that can take actions at any time and finish long-running tasks. (techcrunch.com) The basic idea is simple: an agent is software that can click, type, read screens, and move through steps the way a person does on a computer. Microsoft already offers that building block in Copilot Studio through “computer use,” a preview feature that lets agents operate websites and desktop apps with a virtual mouse and keyboard when no application programming interface is available. (learn.microsoft.com) (microsoft.com) Microsoft has been laying the product groundwork for a year. On April 15, 2025, the company announced computer use in Copilot Studio, and on March 25, 2025, it introduced Researcher and Analyst, two Microsoft 365 Copilot agents that can work across emails, meetings, files, chats, and the web. (microsoft.com 1) (microsoft.com 2) On March 9, 2026, Microsoft pushed that strategy further with Copilot Cowork, which it described as long-running, multi-step work inside Microsoft 365 Copilot. Microsoft said Cowork can break requests into steps, reason across tools and files, show progress, and run for minutes or hours inside the company’s security, identity, and governance framework. (microsoft.com) That framing helps explain the new reporting. An always-on Copilot for inbox triage, calendar changes, or other routine office work would extend Microsoft’s shift from chat assistant to delegated worker inside Microsoft 365. (cnet.com) (microsoft.com) Microsoft’s pitch to corporate buyers is not just automation but control. Its Copilot Studio materials say computer use runs on Microsoft-hosted infrastructure, keeps enterprise data inside Microsoft Cloud boundaries, and is paired with governance and evaluation tools meant to test agents before wider deployment. (microsoft.com 1) (microsoft.com 2) That is also where Microsoft is trying to separate itself from OpenClaw-style tools that run more freely on a user’s machine. TechCrunch described OpenClaw as an open-source agent that runs locally on a computer, while Microsoft’s recent Copilot products have largely run in the cloud and been wrapped in enterprise permissions and compliance controls. (techcrunch.com) (microsoft.com) Microsoft has not publicly launched the always-on product described in the reports, and CNET pointed to the company’s June 2-3 Build conference as the next likely venue for new Copilot details. Until then, the clearest signal is the pattern in Microsoft’s own releases: more agents, longer-running tasks, and more emphasis on trust controls around them. (cnet.com) (microsoft.com)