Microsoft has taken a significant step forward in its AI offerings with the launch of a new version of its Copilot app. The app, announced by Jared Spataro, Microsoft's chief marketing officer for AI at Work, in a blog post on Friday, integrates AI chat, coding, and long-running agents in one place for work.
The new Copilot app has three main sections: Home, Code, and Autopilot. The Home section brings together Chat and Cowork, Microsoft's agent that takes a task and runs it to the end. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are also built into the app, allowing Copilot to create and edit real files that colleagues can work on at the same time.
The Code section allows users to build apps, trackers, dashboards, and automations by describing them in plain language. This feature uses the same underlying technology as GitHub Copilot and allows users to create custom solutions without needing to write code. The Autopilot section, previously called Scout, is an always-on agent that can be given a name, role, and goal, and will work independently to complete tasks.
According to Jacob Andreou, the executive vice president who leads Copilot, the new app is designed to provide users with a more flexible and autonomous way of working. "The hallmark of an amazing, long-running agent is autonomy and flexibility. That is the same thing that makes them absolutely terrifying to an IT admin," Andreou said at the event.
The launch of the new Copilot app is part of Microsoft's efforts to make its AI offerings more useful for consumers and businesses. The company has been working to integrate its AI tools into its various products, including Office and Teams, and the new Copilot app is a key part of this strategy.
Home and Code will roll out to Microsoft's Frontier early-access programme in the coming weeks, while Autopilot will move to private preview at the end of September. Code will reach Microsoft 365 Premium and Pro subscribers in preview later this year.
The new Copilot app also marks a significant change in Microsoft's approach to AI. Until now, the company has sold its 365 Copilot assistant separately from its GitHub Copilot coding agent. However, with the launch of the new app, Microsoft is bringing its AI offerings together in a single platform.
This move is seen as a response to the growing demand for AI-powered tools and the increasing competition in the market. OpenAI and Anthropic have been bundling chat, coding, and agents in their own apps, and Microsoft is looking to catch up with its new Copilot app.
The success of Meta's Muse has shown that people are open to AI automation, and Microsoft is looking to build on this trend. The company plans to share more about its AI strategy at its Ignite conference in San Francisco, from 17 to 20 November.
This article was written with the assistance of AI.
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