Microsoft has unveiled the AI agent Cowork to handle complex tasks within Microsoft 365. It can interact with ecosystem applications such as Outlook, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
“Describe the desired outcome, and Cowork will automatically lay the groundwork for your emails, meetings, messages, files, and data,” the announcement states.
Upon receiving a task, the assistant converts the request into a step-by-step plan. This is executed in the background with clear checkpoints. Users can confirm progress, make changes, or pause the task at any time.
If the neural network requires clarification, it consults the user. The interface allows users to review all proposed actions and then approve changes.
“Cowork easily handles a dozen tasks at once, each moving forward while you focus on your work,” the corporation noted.
Microsoft provided several examples of how the tool can be used:
- calendar optimization — the assistant can reschedule meetings, review the Outlook schedule, and prioritize tasks and less significant meetings;
- preparation for negotiations — the AI agent independently extracts necessary data from emails or files, gathers materials for client meetings, and creates presentations;
- company analysis — the algorithm finds financial reports and documents from the SEC database, then compiles a brief analytical summary;
- product launch planning — Cowork creates competitor comparisons in Excel, highlights distinctive features in documents, and generates presentations. It also assigns roles, outlines key stages, and identifies next steps.
The agent operates in a secure cloud environment, allowing tasks to continue across devices. The technology is integrated in collaboration with Anthropic and is based on the Claude Cowork model.
Copilot Cowork is available in a test mode as part of the Research Preview program.
Back in November 2025, Microsoft experts introduced a testing environment for AI agents and identified vulnerabilities inherent in modern digital assistants.