Microsoft to debut locally run AI agent for Enterprise Copilot
Key Points
- Microsoft is building an OpenClaw‑style AI agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- The feature targets enterprise customers with enhanced security controls.
- Unlike OpenClaw, the new agent may run locally on user hardware.
- It would act as a continuously operating assistant for multistep tasks.
- The tool follows recent Copilot extensions like Cowork and Copilot Tasks.
- Microsoft plans to showcase the agent at the Build conference in June.
- Details on platform support and pricing remain undisclosed.
Microsoft is testing a new AI agent that mimics the open‑source OpenClaw tool but runs within its Microsoft 365 Copilot suite. The company says the feature, aimed at enterprise customers, will offer tighter security controls and operate continuously to handle multistep tasks. While the agent could run on local hardware, Microsoft has not confirmed its deployment model. The firm plans to showcase the technology at its Build conference in June, following a series of recent Copilot‑related launches.
Microsoft confirmed to The Information that it is developing an AI agent modeled after the open‑source OpenClaw project. The new component would sit inside the Microsoft 365 Copilot experience and target enterprise users who need stronger security and persistent task handling.
Enterprise focus and security
OpenClaw lets users run agents locally on a personal computer, but its open nature has raised concerns about data safety. Microsoft’s version is designed to keep the same flexibility while adding corporate‑grade safeguards. The company says the agent would act as a continuously running assistant, capable of completing multistep workflows without user prompting. By keeping processing under tighter control, Microsoft hopes to address the security gaps that have made OpenClaw “famously risky” for business environments.
Earlier this year, Microsoft rolled out several Copilot extensions. In March, it introduced Copilot Cowork, an AI‑powered helper that takes actions across Microsoft 365 apps. Cowork runs in the cloud and leverages Anthropic’s Claude model, which Microsoft added as an option after a partnership with the AI lab. In February, the firm previewed Copilot Tasks, an agent that organizes email, travel and appointments, also cloud‑based. The upcoming locally run agent would be the first Copilot feature to operate on a user’s machine, marking a shift from the purely cloud‑centric approach of previous tools.
Timeline and upcoming preview
Microsoft plans to unveil the new agent at its Build conference in June, according to The Verge. The event will give developers a first look at how the technology integrates with existing Microsoft 365 services. While the company has not disclosed whether the agent will be limited to Windows or also support macOS devices like the Mac Mini—popular among OpenClaw users—it hinted that the local deployment could broaden the range of hardware options for enterprise AI workloads.
Industry observers note that a locally running Copilot could compete directly with OpenClaw, which has seen a surge in demand for its affordable Mac Mini setups. By offering a Microsoft‑backed alternative, the tech giant may capture a segment of the market that values both performance and corporate‑grade security.
Microsoft declined to comment further on the agent’s pricing or availability, saying additional details will be released at Build.