Microsoft announced that Copilot Cowork reached general availability on June 16, marking the full launch of its agentic AI tool for multi-step workplace tasks. The capability allows Copilot to handle longer, complex workflows spanning multiple applications without requiring user intervention between steps.

Copilot Cowork ships with 13 built-in skills and operates off by default, requiring administrators to enable it for organizational rollout. The feature is billed on a consumption model at $0.01 per Copilot Credit, with prepaid plans available for larger deployments.

The announcement came alongside other Microsoft Build 2026 updates, including the debut of Microsoft Scout, an always-on desktop agent that works across files, commands, browsers, and Microsoft 365 integration. Scout represents Microsoft’s push into agentic AI systems that operate with greater autonomy than traditional chatbot interfaces.

Also rolling out is native integration of Anthropic’s Claude as a model option within Copilot Chat, allowing users to select Claude alongside Microsoft’s own models. Federated Connectors, which arrived in preview last month, are now generally available for organizations seeking to connect custom data sources.

Microsoft also updated Copilot licensing, making Copilot features within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote available only to users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. The change simplifies but also restricts feature access for organizations without paid Copilot subscriptions.

The rollout reflects Microsoft’s commitment to embedding AI across its enterprise product line. Build 2026 demonstrated that the company views agentic capabilities as the next phase of workplace AI, moving beyond ChatGPT-style chat interfaces toward systems that automate entire workflows autonomously.