Microsoft launches Copilot Cowork with usage-based pricing

Microsoft has launched Copilot Cowork globally, making its AI agent for executing complex, long-running tasks generally available to all Microsoft 365 Copilot customers. The service, first unveiled in March, is designed to autonomously perform multi-step workflows from start to finish, operating in Microsoft's cloud environment even when a user's computer is off.

The launch follows a three-month preview through Microsoft's Frontier program, during which the company says more than half of Fortune 500 companies adopted the tool, alongside organizations like Accenture, Zurich Insurance, and Capital Group. Microsoft described it as the fastest-growing feature in the history of its Frontier program.

Unlike traditional AI assistants that generate drafts or suggestions, Copilot Cowork is built to complete entire tasks. Microsoft says early users have deployed it to automate spreadsheet management, compare thousands of files across product versions, generate dependency charts, and identify risks within sales pipelines. This capability is powered by a cloud-based architecture and a context engine called Work IQ, which allows the AI to pull information from a customer's Microsoft 365...