Copilot Gets a Seat in the Org Chart
Can Microsoft make workplace agents useful at scale?
TL;DR
- Microsoft's new Copilot app integrates chat, code, and Office applications with a persistent agent called Autopilot.
- Enterprise IT controls designed to ensure security can also restrict Autopilot's ability to perform basic tasks across applications.
- Autopilot agents can operate in the background, accessing user data within defined permissions, and are designed to fit into organizational governance.
- Microsoft emphasizes company-specific 'evals' (evaluations) to measure Copilot's effectiveness and improvement over current human workflows.
- The unified app aims to make context sharing between Office applications and chat seamless, but practical tests showed limitations due to permission settings.