Microsoft, under CEO Satya Nadella, is adding new AI capabilities including AI agents that can complete tasks and oversee business processes autonomously.

The company is positioning autonomous agents - programs which require little human intervention unlike chatbots - as 'apps for an AI-driven world'

Microsoft said its customers can use Copilot Studio — an application that requires little knowledge of computer code — to create such agents in public preview from November. It is using several AI models developed in-house and by OpenAI for the agents.

While some are eager to declare the era of autonomous agents upon us, the reality is a bit more complicated — and that's probably a good thing. Why it matters: Giving autonomy to generative AI tools opens up a range of tantalizing possibilities for increased productivity,