This time, it’s not about software updates; Microsoft just took another giant step into the future of the workplace. The tech giant has unveiled its latest innovation: AI-powered agents that perform brilliantly as virtual employees, completing most of the jobs that real employees do daily. This may dawn a new era where cubicle activity is handed over to AI.
Among other additions, Microsoft has brought an enterprise version of its Copilot toolset as an enterprise solution that lets companies create custom AI workers—yes, virtual workers—to automate all internal processes across an organization. Want a chatbot to handle your customer service? So, you don’t want to manage IT tickets with a virtual assistant or let them handle onboarding for new hires? Microsoft’s AI agents are geared up for a first day on the clock.
Microsoft’s new AI army—saving time or stealing jobs?
The Copilot Studio, which will enter public testing in November, allows businesses to build AI “agents” capable of taking on roles typically filled by human employees. While Microsoft says these agents are meant to “free up” real workers for more important tasks, the fact remains that more and more AI can do roles once held by humans.
What if your company’s inbox was automatically sorted and answered by a bot that knew how to answer based on years of data, internal guidelines, and context? Or imagine an AI that could truly learn your business’s unique requirements, create reports, handle HR functions, and even book meetings sans human intervention. Sound like science fiction? It’s real, and it’s happening right now.
The Impact Of Microsoft's New AI Employees On Your Job#Microsoft has launched groundbreaking #autonomous #AI #agents capable of handling complex business tasks independently, from sales qualification to #supplychain management. This #transformative #technology promises to…
— Bernard Marr (@BernardMarr) October 23, 2024
These virtual employees have proven their worth in legal research and IT support. Microsoft’s new AI agents are believed to be why Thomson Reuters and Pets at Home have made massive gains in productivity and cost savings. One firm cut new hire onboarding times by 90%. When these AI tools start to roll out, humans might feel the squeeze from virtual counterparts who don’t need to take breaks, vacations, or sleep.
Microsoft is not the only company racing to replace (more appropriately, assist) human workers. However, there are some early critics, and the competition is always hot on their heels (though not necessarily in a good way), main competitors like Salesforce. Recently, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff gave Microsoft’s AI efforts an unconventional comeback — jabbing the Redmond giant for its failings regarding customer expectations. As more companies start using Microsoft’s virtual employees, it’s clear that the tech giant is putting its money on AI being the future of work.
But for now, Microsoft’s virtual workforce is working on the tedium that human beings are only too eager to pass off to a machine. As they get more sophisticated, one can’t help but wonder: How long will it be until they’re climbing the corporate ladder?
Image credit: Furkan Demirkaya/Ideogram
