Microsoft is set to introduce autonomous artificial intelligence agents, or virtual employees, designed to perform tasks such as handling client queries and identifying sales leads. This move comes as the tech sector aims to demonstrate to investors that the AI boom is capable of producing indispensable products with practical applications.
Customers will soon have the ability to create their own AI agents through Microsoft’s latest product, Copilot Studio, which launches next month. Additionally, Microsoft is releasing 10 pre-built bots that can take on various roles, including supply chain management and customer service.
Early Adoption by Leading Firms
Among the early adopters of Copilot Studio is consulting giant McKinsey, which is utilizing the technology to build an AI agent that processes new client inquiries and schedules follow-up meetings. Other prominent early users include law firm Clifford Chance and retailer Pets at Home. These organizations are leveraging AI to streamline operations and improve efficiency, highlighting the increasing role of AI in the business environment.
Microsoft positions these AI agents as key drivers of productivity—an important measure of economic efficiency. By automating routine tasks, workers can focus on higher-value activities, effectively boosting the output per hour worked.
Transforming Work and Productivity
Speaking at a company event in London, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the impact of AI agents on reducing “drudgery” in the workplace and enhancing overall productivity. According to Nadella, these tools are fundamentally changing outsourcing by increasing value and reducing inefficiencies. He described Copilot Studio as a “no-code way for you to be able to build agents,” enabling businesses to create their own AI-powered solutions without requiring programming expertise.
The AI agents will be powered by multiple models, including those developed by OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and Microsoft’s own in-house technology.
AI Agents: Transaction Capabilities on the Horizon
Microsoft is also working on an AI agent capable of conducting transactions independently on behalf of users. Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s head of AI, shared that he has witnessed “stunning demos” where the agent made purchases autonomously, though the technology is still in development and has faced challenges. Despite these obstacles, Suleyman believes that AI agents with transaction capabilities will be commercially available “in quarters, not years”.
Addressing Concerns About AI and Employment
With AI becoming more integrated into workplaces, concerns about its impact on employment have grown. Charles Lamanna, Microsoft’s corporate vice-president, addressed these concerns, stating that AI agents will eliminate the “mundane, monotonous” aspects of jobs, empowering workers to focus on more meaningful tasks. Lamanna compared the rise of AI to the introduction of personal computers, which initially entered workplaces gradually but eventually became ubiquitous due to their ability to significantly enhance productivity.
“We think that AI is going to have the same type of journey,” Lamanna said. “It’s showing up in a subset of departments and processes, but it’s only a matter of time until it reaches all parts of an organization.”
Investor Expectations and Market Outlook
Andrew Rogoyski, director at the Institute for People-Centred AI at the University of Surrey, remarked that AI agents offer tech companies a way to deliver tangible results to investors who have heavily backed AI development. In light of a recent report by Goldman Sachs questioning whether a $1 trillion investment in AI will generate a return, Rogoyski highlighted assistive AI agents as a practical step toward meeting investor expectations. However, he cautioned that while the concept of AI agents has been discussed for years, fully realizing their potential to match human capabilities remains an ongoing challenge.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s introduction of autonomous AI agents signals a new era in workplace productivity and the tech industry’s ongoing quest to unlock the full potential of AI in business settings. As organizations begin to adopt and integrate these tools, their long-term impact on both efficiency and the labor market will become clearer.