Microsoft is reportedly exploring new ways to expand the capabilities of its Copilot AI assistant by integrating features similar to OpenClaw. According to a report by The Verge, the move is said to be part of the company’s broader effort to make Microsoft 365 Copilot more autonomous, allowing it to run continuously and perform tasks on behalf of users without constant input.
Additionally, Microsoft is expected to showcase some of these advancements at its upcoming Build conference, which is scheduled to begin on June 2.
What to expect
According to the report, Microsoft is currently evaluating the potential of OpenClaw-like systems in an enterprise setting. For the uninitiated, OpenClaw is an open-source platform that enables users to build AI-driven agents capable of running locally on devices. While the technology has gained traction in recent months, it has also raised concerns around security and misuse.
Microsoft has reportedly acknowledged these risks and is said to be working on implementing safer versions of such tools. The aim is said to be to create AI agents within Copilot that can operate with controlled permissions while still offering automation benefits.
As per the report, one of the key ideas being explored is an always-active version of Microsoft 365 Copilot that could monitor tools like Outlook and calendars and generate daily task suggestions based on user activity.
The report further notes that Microsoft may develop role-specific AI agents tailored for functions such as marketing, sales and accounting. These agents would operate within defined boundaries, limiting their access to only the data required for their tasks, thereby reducing potential security risks.
Microsoft Copilot Cowork
In related news, earlier last month, Microsoft introduced Copilot Cowork in Microsoft 365, a feature that allows users to assign tasks to AI using natural language prompts. As per the company, the tool is designed to go beyond generating responses and instead carry out tasks automatically across apps such as Outlook, Teams and Excel. It uses data from emails, meetings, messages and files within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, and is powered in part by technology from Anthropic’s Claude as part of Microsoft’s multi-model approach.
According to Microsoft, Copilot Cowork can convert user requests into structured plans and execute them in the background, while allowing users to monitor progress and approve actions when needed. The system uses contextual signals from work data to operate and can handle tasks like managing schedules by resolving meeting conflicts or compiling research by analysing reports, news and other sources into organised summaries.
