Microsoft's Copilot CoWork Automates Tasks
Microsoft launched Copilot CoWork, an AI agent that can independently execute multi-step tasks, accessing files and emails to complete workflows—think a “digital employee.” In a demo, it reviewed three months of an executive's calendar and made actionable recommendations in 40 minutes without supervision.
Microsoft's Copilot CoWork, unveiled on March 9, 2026, is currently being tested with a limited set of customers in Research Preview, with a broader release planned for late March in the Frontier program. It's built upon technology from Anthropic's Claude Cowork and integrates directly into Microsoft 365. Copilot CoWork enables users to delegate tasks, run workflows, and manage actions across Microsoft 365 applications. Users describe the desired outcome, and the AI agent leverages data from Outlook, Teams, Excel, and other Microsoft 365 apps to execute the task. The tool then creates a plan, providing checkpoints for user review, modification, or pausing. Microsoft is also launching a new Microsoft 365 E7 suite that will include Copilot Cowork, Agent 365, the Entra identity suite, and advanced security tools, priced at $99 per user per month. Agent 365, a platform for managing AI agents, will be generally available on May 1 at $15 per user. Copilot's history began with GitHub Copilot in June 2021, a tool developed in collaboration with OpenAI to accelerate computer coding. Microsoft has heavily invested in AI since 2016, integrating it into its core products to improve user productivity.
