Microsoft Copilot News Today: Latest AI Updates

Source: Dev.to

Overview

Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot, continues to evolve rapidly. In recent months Microsoft has unveiled a flurry of updates: a new affordable plan for small businesses, an array of powerful AI features, deeper integration across Windows and Edge, and even a friendly AI mascot named Mico. These changes aim to make Copilot more personal, useful, and connected to how people actually work.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Business

Microsoft 365 Copilot Business brings enterprise‑grade AI to small and midsize businesses. For $21 per user per month, the plan adds Copilot capabilities to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.

Key Benefits

• Affordable AI – Discounted bundle when added to Microsoft 365 Business plans (available through March 2026). The price is lower than the standard enterprise license ($30/user‑month) and eligibility is simplified (fewer than 300 users).
• Full‑app integration – Summarize emails, draft documents, analyze spreadsheets, and brainstorm slides directly within the app you’re working in.
• Work IQ and AI agents – Work IQ learns how you work and who you work with, enabling Copilot to anticipate needs (e.g., summarizing unread Outlook threads or pulling relevant Teams notes). AI agents let you create custom, no‑code workflows that automate complex tasks.

AI Built for Work: Copilot, Work IQ, and Agents

Microsoft positions Copilot as purpose‑built for work rather than a generic chatbot. Work IQ ingests work data (emails, files, meetings, chats) and learns patterns, allowing Copilot to:

• Answer questions using company data.
• Suggest next‑best actions.
• Choose the optimal AI model for a given task.

Copilot now appears in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams as both a chat interface and an “Agent” mode.

Copilot Studio’s Agents

In the Microsoft 365 admin center you can view and manage Copilot agents (e.g., IT Admin, Sales Agent). These agents operate across Office apps, automating routine tasks without requiring code.

AI Agents and Copilot Studio

AI agents are specialized Copilot assistants that can handle entire workflows. Examples shown at Ignite 2025 include:

• Teams Admin Agent – Automates user provisioning.
• SharePoint Admin Agent – Finds and archives idle sites.
• Learning/Workforce Planning Agents – Assist with training and capacity planning.

Agents run in the background of Teams or across Microsoft 365, performing tasks such as summarizing meeting notes or preparing data for review. You can use pre‑built agents from Copilot Studio or design your own by connecting data sources and workflows. All agents are managed in a unified “Agent 365” control plane, where you can set permissions, monitor performance, and view a dashboard of active agents.

Security & Compliance: Defender and Purview for AI

Running AI on business data raises security concerns. Copilot respects Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels and data‑governance policies, ensuring it does not expose confidential information. For example, a Word document labeled Confidential will not have its contents leaked into a Teams chat.

Microsoft now offers Defender and Purview plans scaled for SMBs:

• Defender – Enterprise‑grade protection against phishing and malware without requiring a dedicated security team.
• Purview (formerly Information Protection) – Governs data across cloud and on‑premises environments.

Together with Copilot, these services create a locked‑down environment where AI actions stay within defined compliance boundaries.

Copilot Mode in Edge: An AI‑Powered Browser

Microsoft Edge is marketed as “the world’s first secure enterprise AI browser” with Copilot Mode. Instead of a collection of tabs, Edge now offers an intelligent assistant that can:

• Summarize web pages.
• Generate content based on prompts.
• Extract data from tables or documents viewed in the browser.

This integration extends the Copilot experience beyond Microsoft 365 apps, making AI assistance available directly within the browsing environment.