Microsoft testing OpenClaw-style autonomous agents for 365 Copilot, plans Build demo
Microsoft is testing OpenClaw-style autonomous agents for 365 Copilot that would run continuously to complete tasks on behalf of users, according to The Information. The company plans to demonstrate some features at its Build conference on June 2nd.
Microsoft testing OpenClaw-style autonomous agents for 365 Copilot, plans Build demo
Microsoft is testing OpenClaw-style autonomous agents for 365 Copilot that would run continuously to complete tasks on behalf of users, according to The Information. The company plans to demonstrate some features at its Build conference on June 2nd.
Omar Shahine, Microsoft's corporate vice president, confirmed to The Information that the company is "exploring the potential of technologies like OpenClaw in an enterprise context." The always-on version of 365 Copilot could monitor a user's Outlook inbox and calendar, then serve up a list of suggested tasks each day.
Enterprise focus with role-specific agents
Microsoft is developing OpenClaw-like agents tailored to specific business roles including marketing, sales, and accounting. According to sources, this approach would "limit the permissions the agent needs" by siloing them from other parts of a business.
The company claims it can implement "safer" versions of the technology. OpenClaw, an open-source platform that allows users to create AI-powered agents running locally on devices, rose in popularity earlier this year but has since raised serious security concerns.
Competitive pressure from Anthropic
The move comes after Anthropic launched integrations with its Claude AI chatbot inside Microsoft 365 services last year. Anthropic also brought its Claude Cowork tool to Copilot to help complete "long-running, multi-step tasks." Bringing OpenClaw-like capabilities into Copilot could help Microsoft reclaim customers it lost to rival services.
What this means
Microsoft's OpenClaw integration represents a significant shift toward autonomous AI agents in enterprise software, moving beyond simple chat interfaces to systems that act independently on behalf of users. The role-specific approach with limited permissions suggests Microsoft is prioritizing security and compliance over broad autonomy—a critical consideration given OpenClaw's security issues. The timing of the Build demo indicates Microsoft is racing to demonstrate competitive autonomous agent capabilities before rivals establish dominance in this emerging category.
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