Microsoft is reorganizing Copilot around three new experiences—Home, Code and Autopilot—with Office documents becoming editable directly alongside an AI conversation. The changes are aimed primarily at workplace users and will roll out in stages.
Home combines quick interactions in Chat with Cowork, which is designed for larger assignments such as preparing a client presentation or project dossier. Through Office in Copilot, users can create editable files that remain synchronized with their Office apps and can be worked on simultaneously by colleagues.
- Word: Copilot can create and modify editable documents within the assistant interface.
- Excel: Copilot can explain changes made to a spreadsheet and recommend charts based on its data.
- PowerPoint: Copilot can preserve a presentation’s visual identity while helping create or revise it.
Code extends Copilot beyond documents. Users can describe a small program, data dashboard or automation in natural language, and Copilot can build the result as a desktop widget or an internal cloud-hosted app for colleagues. The code runs in an isolated environment, while Copilot Managed Runtime is intended to host those applications in an organization’s managed Microsoft 365 environment.
Autopilot is the more autonomous component. An organization can assign an agent a role, objective and action boundaries, then allow it to follow discussions, request updates and resume a project days later. Because the agent is hosted in the cloud, it can continue its work when the user is offline. Microsoft says each agent will have its own identity and workspace within the organization, with permissions and activity available for auditing.
Home and Code are due to start reaching the Frontier program in the coming weeks, while Autopilot’s private testing is set to expand in late September. Work performed through Cowork, Code and Autopilot will be billed by usage separately from a subscription covering standard Copilot features; administrators will be able to set spending policies, and users will be able to track consumed credits.
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