From AI Answers to AI Action
For the past year, Microsoft Copilot has helped people draft emails, summarizs meetings, and analyze documents. Now Microsoft is taking the next big step with Copilot Tasks.
This is a new capability that moves Copilot beyond conversation and into action. Instead of just suggesting what you should do, Copilot Tasks can actually do the work for you, running in the background while you focus on higher‑value activities.
What is Copilot Tasks?
Copilot Tasks is an agentic AI feature that allows you to describe a task in natural language and have Copilot plan and execute it on your behalf. Microsoft describes it as “a to‑do list that does itself.”
Once you assign a task, Copilot breaks it into steps, carries out those steps using its own secure virtual environment, and checks back in when approvals or decisions are needed.
Tasks can be:
- One‑off (run once),
- Scheduled (run at a specific time), or
- Recurring (run daily, weekly, or based on conditions).
Importantly, Copilot Tasks is not an uncontrolled autopilot. Users remain in charge, and Copilot will always ask for confirmation before taking sensitive actions like spending money or sending messages on your behalf.
Sign-up to get on the waitlist
Copilot Tasks is Microsoft’s bet on making Copilot more powerful and useful. This research preview is the first step. Microsoft are looking for early testers who want to try it, push it, and help us make it better. You can join the waitlist today and you’ll be notified when you’ve been invited into the testing program.
Key Benefits of Copilot Tasks
The biggest benefit of Copilot Tasks is time saved through real automation. Instead of jumping between apps, websites, and inboxes, Copilot can coordinate that work for you in the background.
Some early benefits Microsoft highlights include:
- Reduced manual effort: Copilot can monitor inboxes, track listings, or prepare briefings without constant prompting.
- Better focus: By offloading routine and repetitive tasks, people can spend more time on creative, strategic, or customer‑facing work.
- Consistency and follow‑through: Recurring tasks, like weekly summaries or monitoring price changes—run reliably without being forgotten.=
In short, Copilot Tasks shifts AI from being a helpful assistant to becoming a digital worker that actively helps clear your backlog.
How to Use Copilot Tasks
Using Copilot Tasks is designed to be simple. You start by telling Copilot what you want done in plain language, such as:
- “Every Friday, track new trademe listings”
- “Each morning, summarise urgent emails and draft replies.”
- “Turn these emails and attachments into a slide deck.”
Copilot then proposes a plan, executes it in the background, and reports back with results or requests for approval. Tasks can be edited, paused, or cancelled at any time.
How Copilot Tasks Is Licensed
Licensing for Copilot Tasks follows Microsoft’s broader Microsoft 365 Copilot model. Copilot Tasks is part of the Copilot experience and requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, which is purchased as an add‑on to eligible Microsoft 365 plans (such as Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, or E5).
Key points to know:
- Copilot Tasks is not included in free Copilot Chat.
- A paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required to access advanced, work‑integrated capabilities.
- Licensing is per user and managed through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
As Copilot Tasks moves from preview to general availability, Microsoft is expected to clarify any additional pricing or usage considerations, but today it sits squarely within the Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing framework.
A Glimpse of What’s Next
Copilot Tasks represents a clear shift in how we work with AI—from asking for help to delegating outcomes.
For organisations already investing in Microsoft 365 Copilot, it offers a compelling glimpse of a future where AI doesn’t just advise, but actively works alongside us to get things done.