New Autonomous Agents: Scale Your team like never before

Microsoft 365 Copilot has already become an essential tool for over 60% of Fortune 500 companies, delivering remarkable business results.

For instance, Lumen Technologies projects an annual $50 million savings, Honeywell’s productivity gains are equivalent to adding 187 full-time employees, and Finastra has reduced creative production time from seven months to just seven weeks.

On 21 October, Microsoft announce new autonomous agent capabilities in Copilot Studio, designed to drive even more value across organizations:

What are Autonomous Agents?

Autonomous agents are AI-driven programs designed to execute specific tasks independently, utilizing machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics to make real-time decisions.

Unlike traditional software, which requires manual input, these agents can autonomously adapt to changing environments, learn from historical data, and optimize processes over time.

Organizations leverage autonomous agents to handle repetitive tasks, interpret vast amounts of data, and interact with users naturally.

This autonomy allows human teams to focus on strategic, high-level work, leading to increased efficiency and scalability.

New Agentic Capabilities

Microsoft is taking Copilot’s functionality to the next level by enabling organizations to build customized autonomous agents with Copilot Studio.

Scheduled for public preview next month, these agentic capabilities make it possible for businesses to automate a wide array of tasks across departments such as sales, service, finance, and supply chain management.

Introducing Copilot Studio’s Autonomous Agents:

Businesses will soon be able to create, manage, and connect a constellation of agents via Copilot Studio. Think of these agents as the future of business process management: autonomous, adaptable, and capable of executing tasks on behalf of individuals or teams.

Ten New Autonomous Agents for Dynamics 365:

Microsoft is launching ten new agents in Dynamics 365 tailored for sales, finance, and customer support teams. These agents are the foundation for AI-first business processes, helping organizations achieve greater scalability and efficiency.

Empowering Every Department with Copilot Studio

With Copilot Studio, organizations can leverage Microsoft 365’s deep integration with work data (via Microsoft Graph, Dataverse, and Fabric) to develop agents that automate repetitive processes and boost team productivity.

Early adopters such as Clifford Chance, McKinsey & Company, Pets at Home, and Thomson Reuters are already realizing the advantages of agent-driven workflows. For example:

Pets at Home: The U.K.-based pet care leader has developed an agent to assist its profit protection team, with the potential for seven-figure annual savings.

McKinsey & Company: By deploying an onboarding agent, McKinsey has achieved a 90% reduction in client onboarding lead time and a 30% reduction in administrative work.

Thomson Reuters: A legal due diligence agent has sped up tasks, allowing Thomson Reuters to streamline workflows, enhance client service, and grow its business pipeline.

Transforming the Workforce with Dynamics 365’s Autonomous Agents

Dynamics 365’s new autonomous agents, powered by AI, replace outdated, manual processes and bring automation to sales, finance, and service teams. Key agents include:

Sales Qualification Agent: Prioritizes and researches sales leads autonomously, allowing sales teams to focus on high-value opportunities and ultimately increase revenue.

Supplier Communications Agent: Enhances supply chain efficiency by monitoring supplier performance, detecting delays, and autonomously resolving issues to minimize disruptions.

Customer Intent and Knowledge Management Agents: These customer care agents support high-volume interactions by learning how to resolve issues independently and updating knowledge bases to ensure best practices are consistently applied across customer support teams.

Microsoft’s Own Transformation with Copilot

Microsoft’s internal use of Copilot has yielded impressive results. A sales team using Copilot increased revenue per seller by 9.4% and closed 20% more deals, while the HR department’s employee self-service agent improved response accuracy by 42%.

The marketing team saw a 21.5% boost in conversions on Azure.com through a custom agent tailored to assist buyers.

These agents not only streamline processes but also create meaningful impacts across departments, enabling teams to scale their efforts and achieve higher performance.

Baking AI – AI Marketing Specialist for Autonomous Business Solutions. Empowering autonomous agents that adapt and respond dynamically to evolving business needs

Enhanced Data Security and Governance

In addition to delivering results, Copilot Studio prioritizes data security and governance.

The agents adhere to stringent data protection standards, including data loss prevention and robust authentication protocols.

Copilot’s built-in guardrails ensure that organizations can create and deploy agents securely, protecting sensitive business information while reaping the benefits of AI-driven automation.

A New Era of AI-Driven Business

With Copilot and its autonomous agents, organizations now have an unprecedented opportunity to scale their capabilities, future-proof operations, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.

As Microsoft continues to innovate, companies will have access to an expanding portfolio of agents, each designed to enhance specific business functions and drive value.

Whether through more efficient sales processes, improved customer support, or streamlined finance operations, Copilot and its agents are transforming how teams work and achieve results.

Ready to get started? Dive into Copilot Studio, create your first autonomous agent, and unlock the power of AI-driven business transformation. The future of work is here, and it’s never been more promising.