Microsoft Corp. today introduced a new subscription that bundles its productivity applications with artificial intelligence and cybersecurity features.

The Microsoft 365 E7 plan, as the offering is called, is priced at $99 per user per month. It’s mainly geared towards large organizations. E7 includes a heavily upgraded version of Microsoft 365 Copilot, the AI assistant built into Microsoft 365, and an administrator tool called Microsoft Agent 365.

When a worker asks the new Copilot to perform a multistep task, it starts by generating an action plan. Users can modify the plan before the AI starts working. From there, they can monitor Copilot and individually approve each step before it proceeds to the next one.

Under the hood, the new Copilot is powered by OpenAI Group PBC’s latest AI models. It also uses the technology that underpins Anthropic PBC’s Claude Cowork productivity tool. The latter offering extends the standard version of Claude with features that enable it to automate more complex chores.

Copilot retrieves the information that it uses to perform tasks with the help of a data management engine called Work IQ. According to Microsoft, the engine tailors the AI assistant’s output to each user’s work habits. Customers can also customize it manually by entering a natural language description of their preferences.

Microsoft is integrating Copilot into two more of its products as part of the update: Dynamics 365 and Power Apps. The former offering is an application suite that covers a long list of use cases ranging from supply chain management to customer service. Power Apps, in turn, is a low-code tool that enables workers to create their own business applications.

The integration will make Copilot accessible in the two products’ interfaces. Additionally, it will enable Copilot to incorporate information from Dynamics 365 and Power Apps into prompt responses. The latter feature is powered by its Work IQ data management engine. 

Microsoft will make it possible to integrate Work IQ into third-party services via an application programming interface set to roll out later this month. The company sees developers using data from the API to power custom AI agents. 

“Work IQ API exposes Copilot intelligence through a standard RESTful interface, enabling developers to build agents grounded in the live work context accessible through Copilot Chat — while inheriting Microsoft’s enterprise‑grade identity, security, permissions and regulatory compliance,” Seth Patton, general manager of Microsoft 365 product marketing, wrote in a blog post.

Administrators can manage their companies’ AI agents using a new tool called Agent 360 that is also included in the E7 subscription. According to Microsoft, the tool automatically creates an inventory of the agents used throughout an organization. It then collects data about adoption rates, potential cybersecurity risks and infrastructure usage. 

“Agent 365 is the control plane for agents,” said Jared Spataro, chief marketing officer of the company’s AI at Work business. “In practical terms, it gives IT and security leaders one place to observe, secure, and govern every agent across the organization.”

Image: Microsoft