Microsoft Corp. today showcased its vision for the “agentic enterprise,” positioning the Windows operating system at the center of new, artificial intelligence agent-led intelligent workflows.

At its annual Ignite conference in San Francisco, the company announced a barrage of updates focused on AI agents that can automate almost any aspect of enterprise work, including a complete overhaul of how users will manage and access agents in the Windows platform.

One of the key announcements was the introduction of support for the Model Context Protocol in Windows, in addition to a pair of built-in “agent connectors” and a dedicated workspace for AI agents. With MCP, Windows gets access to an established and standardized framework for AI agents to securely connect with third-party applications and tools, which is essential for them to be able to perform work-related tasks on behalf of their users.

As a result, users can register applications through agent connectors in the Windows on-device registry, which makes them discoverable for any agents they’re using. The agents can then leverage these connectors to perform whatever tasks are assigned to them, Microsoft said.

The connectors, available in preview starting today, include a File Explorer Connector that’s used to grant agents search, read, write and edit access to local files in Windows. The search function enables agents to use natural language queries to find the files they require, and they can also use images to locate image files, the company said. Meanwhile, the Windows Settings Connector gives agents the ability to handle complex device configuration operations, such as modifying a computer’s network settings.

To secure AI agents, Microsoft launched a new Agent Workspace in Windows that’s available in private preview, giving users an isolated and policy-controlled environment where their agents can interact with software in the same way as humans do. It allows agents to execute tasks in parallel with their users, without interrupting them. Microsoft said all agentic interactions involving MCP will take place within this workspace, ensuring everything remains secure.

Easier access to AI agents

Microsoft is also making AI agents more accessible, with a new Ask Copilot icon on the Windows taskbar. The idea with this is to standardize the way users interact with Copilot and other AI agents across Windows, making it always instantly accessible no matter what they happen to be working on.

In a blog post, Microsoft President of Windows + Devices Pavan Davuluri said Ask Copilot is key to the company’s vision of reimaging Windows as the central platform where diverse AI agents, including its array of Copilot agents and third-party offerings, are invoked, monitored and managed.

Davuluri also talked about deeper AI and agentic integrations throughout the Windows platform. For instance, users can now send any text or image file to Copilot without leaving the application they’re using with the new Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot in Click to Do.

Meanwhile, Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot in File Explorer Home enables users to ask Copilot for assistance or insights into any selected file, directly within the file management window. Users can also hover over files to see a quick AI preview of what’s inside.

Windows Search is also getting an update with Microsoft 365 federation making it easier for users to locate files by describing whatever it is they’re looking for, be it their notes from last week’s meeting or the latest sales figures for a specific product. There’s also a new agentic-powered Writing Assistance tool to aid humans with rewriting and proofreading, which is supported even while offline on Copilot+ PCs. Another new feature supports hands-free interaction with Copilot, allowing users to just say “Hey Copilot,” followed by their question or request.

Image: Microsoft