Microsoft, the software giant, has announced its intention to allow its customers to build independent artificial intelligence models starting in November, as part of its efforts to leverage emerging technology.
Microsoft plans to deploy independent agents, which are programs that require limited human intervention, with these agents being “applications for an AI-reliant world.” These agents can handle customer inquiries, identify sales leads, and effectively manage inventory.
This development comes at a time when other major technology companies, like Salesforce, are touting the capabilities of independent agents, which some analysts see as an easier path for companies to realize returns on the billions they spend on artificial intelligence.
Microsoft revealed that its customers will be able to use Copilot Studio, an application that requires basic programming knowledge, to create independent agents starting in November. This application relies on artificial intelligence models developed internally by OpenAI.
The company also offers ten ready-to-use agents that can assist with a range of routine tasks, such as supply chain management, expense tracking, and customer communication.
In a demo, McKinsey & Co, which had early access to these tools, created an agent that could manage customer queries by reviewing interaction records, identifying the appropriate advisor, and scheduling follow-up meetings.
Charles Lamanna, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Business Applications & Industries, said, “The idea is that Copilot is the AI user interface.” He added that each employee will have a copilot assistant, meaning they will have a dedicated AI agent and will be able to interact with customers using their assistant.
However, major technology companies are under pressure from investors to show returns on their massive investments in artificial intelligence. Microsoft’s stocks dropped by 2.8% in the third quarter of the year, which is considered a weaker performance than the S&P 500 index, even though the stocks are still up over ten percent since the beginning of the year.
Concerns have increased in recent months about the speed of adoption of the Copilot program, as a study by Gartner in August showed that the vast majority of enterprises have not made significant progress in their Copilot initiatives beyond the trial stage.
