Microsoft's AI Agent 'Autopilot' Brings Automation to Business Users
Microsoft is bringing its AI agent, Autopilot, closer to release after being introduced as 'always-on agents that work autonomously' at the company's Build conference in June. Initially designed for enterprise users, Autopilot will eventually be available to consumers as well.
The AI agent, which runs from a cloud-hosted server and plugs into Microsoft 365 apps, is based on OpenClaw, an open-source autonomous agent that can accomplish tasks without requiring user input. According to Microsoft, Autopilot is designed to work like a 'digital teammate' that can watch channels, follow up on threads, run recurring work, and pick projects back up days later.
Microsoft has been building guardrails around Autopilot to ensure safe use for enterprise customers. The company plans to surface Autopilot through its apps, allowing users to @mention it like a colleague with permissions, audit, and governance behind it.