Microsoft has officially launched two innovative reasoning AI agents: Researcher and Analyst, expanding their availability to all users with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses. Previously, these tools were exclusive to members of the Microsoft 365 Copilot Frontier program.
The Researcher agent is designed to enhance multi-step research by integrating OpenAI’s advanced research models with Microsoft 365 Copilot’s orchestration and comprehensive search functionalities. Meanwhile, the Analyst agent functions like a data scientist, swiftly extracting insights from raw datasets. Built on OpenAI’s o3-mini framework, Analyst can execute Python scripts to handle intricate data queries, allowing users to review the underlying code for transparency and verification purposes.
Target Audience and Accessibility
Since being made available to the general public, these agents have the potential to transform the workflow of various professionals including researchers, strategists, data analysts and scientists, as well as teams in sales and marketing. These tools can significantly streamline tasks such as data summarization and synthesis.
While the Frontier members have benefited from these agents since April, the Microsoft 365 Copilot itself is not the free version; it requires a monthly subscription fee of $30 when billed annually. Existing customers should expect to have immediate access to both Researcher and Analyst.
Although Microsoft promotes these agents as beneficial tools, concerns about AI’s potential impact on job security remain prevalent. Nevertheless, Microsoft asserts the utility of these agents as enhancement tools designed to assist professionals rather than replace them.
The Researcher agent proves particularly useful for tasks like insight gathering, negotiation preparation, and evaluating factors like the implications of tariffs on various businesses. On the other hand, the Analyst agent supports eight languages, in contrast to Researcher’s 37 language capability, although more language support for Analyst is anticipated in the future.
The Motivation Behind the Release
The increasing interest in AI agents surged at the beginning of 2025, as industry leaders announced it would be the year of agentic AI. These advanced capabilities bring us closer to achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), made possible by the cutting-edge development of models from OpenAI.
By launching Researcher and Analyst, Microsoft is on a mission to enable employees globally to harness the full potential of AI tools. Customer feedback from those in the Frontier program has highlighted the efficiency and accuracy of these agents in handling intricate analytical challenges, crucial for Microsoft as it strives to maintain its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Key Considerations for Users
Microsoft emphasizes that the Researcher agent significantly improves accuracy compared to its predecessors due to its methodical approach to problem-solving. However, AI systems, like humans, are not immune to errors.
One remarkable feature of the Analyst agent is its transparency; users can view the executed Python code, which not only fosters trust but also enables users to confirm the agent’s reasoning processes. This level of accountability may help distinguish Microsoft’s offering from similar products on the market.
Users should also be mindful that the effectiveness of these agents hinges on the quality of prompts used. To maximize their utility, crafting clear and precise prompts is crucial, although the conversational nature of these agents allows for intuitive interaction.
The future implications of such agents on job security are worth monitoring. Should AI evolve to a point where it can fulfill roles at a lower cost than human employees, it could lead to significant workforce displacement—a concern recently articulated by Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei.
Source: Microsoft
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