- Copilot Cowork is Microsoft’s comprehensive autonomous AI assistant
- Anthropic models are also available alongside OpenAIs in Copilot
- Agent 365, available soon, bundled into a brand new E7 subscription
Microsoft has confirmed details of Microsoft 365 Copilot’s so-called ‘third wave’ shortly after rumors began circulating about a potential M365 E7 plan.
The company says this wave three has pushed AI beyond simply helping to complete tasks and perform workflows on behalf of users – in other words, it marks the shift from generative AI to agent AI.
And despite a longstanding relationship with OpenAI and a heavy early reliance on GPT models, Copilot Cowork uses Anthopic models from the similarly named Claude Cowork.
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Microsoft 365 is going all-in on agent AI
With the anthropic-assisted upgrade, the M365 Copilot will be able to handle long-running, multi-step tasks that evolve over time, making the AI far more akin to a human worker. The tool works by coordinating actions across apps and files for additional context.
A separate post by Business Apps and Agents President, Charles Lamanna, shows agents working to clear calendars and conduct detailed research. A video presented by Lamanna shared on LinkedIn also describes how Copilot Cowork supports additional skills and plug-ins.
Anthropic’s Claude models will also be available in M365 Copilot Chat alongside the usual OpenAI models for more customization if companies want it.
Microsoft boasted that while Copilot users have grown 160% year-over-year, actual daily active users are ten times higher, underscoring the need for better management.
For agent management, Microsoft plans to make Agent 365 generally available starting May 1 at a price of $15 per month. The company drew parallels between A365 and existing workforce management tools in terms of observability, governance, management and security.
“In just two months, tens of thousands of agents have appeared in the Agent 365 Registry,” Microsoft Commercial CEO Judson Althoff wrote of the platform’s preview customers.
And as for the rumored E7 plan? Well, it comes with the exact naming structure and will cost $99 per user, which is cheaper than assembling each element separately. The E7 plan, as previously speculated, includes the M365 E5, M365 Copilot and A365 all in one billing plan.
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