Microsoft is reimagining Windows 11 as a full “agentic OS,” introducing new AI agents that live directly in the taskbar and can control apps, automate workflows, and perform tasks autonomously. These agents, including Microsoft 365 Copilot and third-party options, can research information, navigate your PC, or complete admin chores in the background. Users can hover over the taskbar icon to see real-time progress, with badges indicating whether an agent is working, needs help, or has completed a task.
The new Ask Copilot interface blends Windows search with conversational AI, allowing users to initiate tasks or launch AI agents with a click. Microsoft is also integrating Copilot into File Explorer, enabling instant document summaries, file-based Q&A, and email drafting. Features like Click to Do let users convert tables from anywhere into editable Excel files, using a mix of local AI models on Copilot Plus PCs and cloud-powered Copilot features.
To ensure safety, all agents operate inside a dedicated sandboxed workspace with their own Windows account. Developers can build on this system using Model Context Protocol, allowing agents to securely discover tools and other agents. Microsoft’s broader effort includes new writing tools, Outlook summaries, improvements to dictation, and upcoming security upgrades like hardware-accelerated BitLocker.
