Microsoft has unveiled a redesigned Copilot app that brings AI chat, coding tools and autonomous agents into a single interface, expanding the assistant from a conversational tool into a broader workspace for building software and delegating tasks.
The updated Copilot is organised around three main areas: Home, Code and Autopilot. Microsoft is positioning the new experience as a central place where users can ask questions, work with documents, build applications and hand over longer-running tasks to AI agents.
Home combines Copilot Chat with Cowork, Microsoft's tool for delegating more complex work to AI. The company is also bringing Word, Excel and PowerPoint directly into the Copilot experience, allowing users to create and edit documents without moving between separate applications.
Code introduces software creation to the main Copilot app. Users can describe an app, dashboard, tracker, automation or workflow in natural language and have Copilot build it. The feature uses the same underlying technology as GitHub Copilot and is designed to make application building accessible to employees who may not have traditional programming expertise.
Microsoft said Code operates in a sandboxed environment and applications can be hosted securely within an organisation's Microsoft tenant. Cloud-hosted tools created through the feature can also be shared with colleagues, while developers can continue using GitHub Copilot for more advanced software development.
The third component, Autopilot, introduces persistent AI agents that can continue working after a task has been assigned. Previously known as Scout, Autopilot gives users the ability to create an agent, define its role and goals, and assign ongoing responsibilities.
These agents can handle tasks such as tracking project updates, monitoring decisions and deadlines, preparing materials and following up on commitments. Microsoft is positioning the feature as a way for employees to delegate recurring work rather than repeatedly prompting an AI assistant.
The company is also adding controls for organisations to monitor and manage AI usage and spending. Some of the more advanced agentic capabilities will follow a usage-based model rather than being covered entirely through conventional per-user subscriptions.
The rollout will take place in stages. Home and Code are being introduced through Microsoft's Frontier early-access programme, while Autopilot is moving into private preview. Code is also expected to enter preview for Microsoft 365 Premium and Pro subscribers later this year.
The redesign comes as major AI companies increasingly move beyond standalone chatbots towards agents capable of executing multi-step tasks. For Microsoft, the new Copilot brings these capabilities together with its established productivity applications in a single work-focused interface.
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