Microsoft adds AI bot management to Teams meetings

Microsoft has rolled out a new security framework for its Teams conferencing platform, giving administrators and meeting organizers greater control over artificial intelligence bots joining meetings. The update, which became generally available globally in early to mid-June, introduces enhanced detection capabilities and a default policy designed to address privacy and security risks from automated participants.

The central feature is a new admin policy, "Manage external bots and their access to meetings," now available in the Teams Admin Center. Enabled by default for all tenants, the policy uses a combination of behavioral and infrastructure signals to improve Teams' ability to distinguish between bots and human participants. When a bot is detected, it is automatically placed in the meeting lobby and clearly marked as such. Meeting organizers must then explicitly approve its entry, receiving confirmation prompts and warnings to prevent accidental admission. There is no one-click "Admit All" option for lobbies containing bots.

Organizers viewing the lobby now see participants segmented into two categories: a "waiting" section for verified human attendees and registered bots,...