Technology giant Microsoft has announced plans to roll out autonomous Artificial Intelligence agents, set to launch in November 2024, enabling businesses to automate routine tasks and enhance operational efficiency.
Through its Copilot Studio, Microsoft will provide clients with innovative tools to optimize processes across various sectors, including sales, service, finance, and supply chain management. In a recent blog post, the company emphasized its commitment to making AI-driven business processes accessible to organizations of all sizes.
“Today, we’re unveiling new agentic capabilities that will accelerate advancements and bring AI-first business processes to every organization. The ability to create autonomous agents with Copilot Studio will enter public preview next month,” the post stated.
The initial release will feature ten autonomous agents integrated into Dynamics 365, designed to automate critical functions such as lead generation, sales order processing, and supply chain management. These agents will leverage data from Microsoft 365 Graph, Dataverse, and other sources, addressing a range of operational needs, including IT support and employee onboarding.
As the technology transitions from private to public preview, a wider array of customers will have the chance to utilize these advanced tools to refine their business processes. Notably, several organizations have already begun using these autonomous agents to improve their operations.
Among the early adopters are Clifford Chance, McKinsey & Company, Pets at Home, and Thomson Reuters. Pets at Home, the leading pet care retailer in the UK, has developed an agent for its profit protection team, significantly enhancing case compilation for human review and potentially leading to substantial annual savings.
Additionally, McKinsey & Company is piloting an agent designed to streamline client onboarding, reportedly cutting lead time by 90% and reducing administrative tasks by 30%. Thomson Reuters has also created a professional-grade agent to optimize its legal due diligence workflow, with preliminary tests indicating that some tasks could be completed in half the usual time.
