Microsoft Expands Copilot With Coding Tools and Always-On AI Agent

Redmond, Washington — Microsoft has expanded its Copilot artificial intelligence platform with new coding and automation capabilities, including a new coding tool and an always-on AI agent designed to handle tasks on behalf of users.

The company unveiled the new features Friday as it seeks to turn Copilot from a conventional AI chatbot into a broader workplace platform capable of helping users create software, automate tasks and work directly with Microsoft’s productivity applications.

One of the new capabilities, called Code, allows users to create applications, dashboards and other software using natural-language instructions. Microsoft says the feature is based on technology used by GitHub Copilot and is intended to make software development and automation more accessible within organizations.

Microsoft is also introducing Autopilot, an AI agent designed to perform tasks continuously with permissions controlled by users. The company says the agent will have its own identity within an organization’s directory and will operate within defined access controls. The company is integrating Word, Excel and PowerPoint more deeply into Copilot, allowing users to work with those applications without leaving the AI platform.

Microsoft also announced tools designed to give organizations greater visibility into the costs associated with AI usage, an increasingly important issue as companies expand their use of AI agents.

The new capabilities will roll out in stages. Microsoft said Home and Code will gradually become available through its Frontier program, while Autopilot will enter private preview toward the end of September.

Microsoft is competing with other major AI platforms as technology companies increasingly shift from conversational chatbots toward AI agents capable of completing multi-step tasks.