Microsoft Introduces Autopilot Feature at Microsoft Build Event

Microsoft has recently announced the expansion of its new Autopilot feature during the Microsoft Build event this week. This feature is supported by a post on the company’s website.

Autopilots are a novel category of agents capable of operating autonomously on behalf of users. Each Autopilot has its unique identity, enabling multiple agents to coexist within different rule sets. This allows users to run Autopilots at home or work with distinct governance and stipulations that either limit or allow specific activities based on context.

The initial Autopilot introduced by Microsoft is Scout, which has been tested in beta by internal users at Microsoft. The project is now being rolled out to a select group of customers and Frontier organizations, as mentioned in the company’s blog.

Scout will primarily function as an acting agent within Microsoft 365 applications such as Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams. It can coordinate data from each platform to schedule meetings, highlight important messages, and create calendar events to help workers stay organized. Over time, Scout learns about user preferences and work patterns to enhance efficiency and personalization.

Scout is built using OpenClaw, an open-source project developed by Peter Steinberger over a weekend. Microsoft ensures that Scout is equipped with enterprise-grade security and controls to establish trust within organizations from the outset.

Microsoft has expressed its intention to contribute upstream to the open-source OpenClaw project.

Organizations adopting Microsoft Scout can validate the secure operation of Scout implementations within IT and security policies. They can also verify agent identities through dedicated Entra entries. The platform is managed with the same level of rigor expected from any first-party Microsoft service.

Scout’s data protection policy is derived from Microsoft Purview, and machine identity credentials are anonymized in logs and diagnostics to protect privacy. Sensitive actions identified by the algorithm require human approval.

During internal trials at Microsoft, Scout has been fine-tuned to address security concerns while maintaining productivity without constant intervention.

By delegating low-level tasks to Autopilots, work can progress seamlessly even when attention is diverted elsewhere.

One notable feature is Scout’s ability to identify deadlines, block time on a user’s calendar to prevent distractions, and provide necessary resources to overcome obstacles hindering progress on important projects.

The announcement on the Microsoft website was authored by Omar Shahine, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Scout. Shahine’s extensive experience includes roles in Windows Live, OneDrive, and Mac Office divisions at Microsoft.

Early adopters interested in trying Scout must be enrolled in Microsoft’s Frontier program, configure policies with Intune, provide an “opt-in attestation,” and possess an active GitHub Copilot license.

(Image source: Pixabay, under licence.)

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