Microsoft (MSFT) is continuing to explore ways to monetize its substantial investments in artificial intelligence (AI), unveiling a growing portfolio of software solutions for both enterprises and consumers. The company’s latest innovation is what it calls “autonomous agents,” a new AI-driven feature that comes as Wall Street begins to closely examine tech firms’ AI spending and growth prospects.
At Microsoft’s AI Tour event in London on Monday, which featured keynotes from CEO Satya Nadella and Jared Spataro, CMO of Copilot at Work, the company announced that the new software will be available for public preview next month.
Autonomous agents are custom-built AI applications designed to handle specific tasks for enterprise employees. By automating routine tasks, these agents aim to free up workers to focus on more complex projects. Microsoft highlighted how companies such as McKinsey & Company and UK-based Pets at Home have already leveraged autonomous agents to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, such as data entry and processing client proposals.
Users can create their own autonomous agents within Microsoft’s Copilot Studio using “low-code” or “no-code” instructions. This allows users to define the agent’s task, such as sorting through incoming email requests, without needing coding skills. For example, users can instruct the agent, in plain language, on how to handle the email, extract relevant information, and address missing or incomplete data. The agent can also be set to handle customer data based on attached documents or guidelines.
Microsoft’s autonomous agents include features that allow workers to step in and verify the AI’s work, ensuring its accuracy and addressing any potential errors, referred to as “hallucinations”—instances where the AI may introduce inaccuracies or make mistakes.
These autonomous agents are part of Microsoft’s broader effort to capitalize on its significant AI investments, including its partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI.
In its most recent quarterly report, Microsoft CFO Amy Hood revealed that the company spent $19 billion on capital expenditures, primarily related to AI and cloud services. Overall, Microsoft spent $55.7 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2024, a sharp increase from $31.9 billion in 2023 and $29.2 billion in 2022.
The company also shared that 2.1 million users currently engage with Copilot through Microsoft’s business applications each month. Microsoft is keen to grow that number, with the company betting heavily on its AI-powered Copilot platform to boost revenue from businesses seeking to enhance employee productivity and operational efficiency.
