Copilot Tasks pushes Microsoft’s AI beyond chat and into real work

Copilot Tasks transforms Microsoft Copilot from a prompt-based assistant into a workflow execution engine.
Users describe a goal in natural language, and Copilot builds and runs a step-by-step plan across apps and web services.
Operates in a controlled environment with its own browser capabilities to coordinate multi-service actions.
Currently in limited research preview with a public waitlist; broader rollout expected soon.

Microsoft has revealed Copilot Tasks, a new capability that shifts its AI assistant from responding to prompts to actively completing structured work on your behalf. This new feature brings Copilot closer to becoming an execution engine rather than just a conversational layer.

Copilot Tasks allows you to describe a goal using natural language. The system then creates a step-by-step plan, carries out the actions across apps and web services in the background, and reports back when it needs approval or when the task is complete.

It is essentially a to-do list that builds and manages itself.

From chat assistant to “do” assistant

Since launch, Copilot has focused on drafting, summarizing, and analyzing. It could suggest replies, outline documents, or generate ideas. However, users still had to switch between apps, confirm bookings, monitor listings, or manually organize follow-ups.

Copilot Tasks is designed to remove that friction.

According to Microsoft, Tasks operates within a controlled environment with its own browser capabilities, allowing it to interact with services on your behalf. It can run one-time workflows, execute on a recurring schedule, or stay active until a defined condition is met.

The result is continuous automation rather than isolated AI responses.

What Copilot Tasks can actually do

Microsoft groups early use cases into several categories. For recurring routines, Copilot can prepare daily email summaries with draft responses, generate weekly rental searches and book viewings, or assemble meeting briefings based on calendar data.

In document generation scenarios, it can transform a syllabus into a structured study plan with built-in practice tests, compile inbox content into a presentation, or monitor job listings and tailor resumes and cover letters for each opportunity.

For services and logistics, Copilot Tasks can compare contractor quotes, monitor hotel rates and rebook when prices drop, reserve rides aligned with flight schedules, or track subscriptions and flag unused ones for cancellation.

The emphasis is on multi-step coordination across tools, not just generating text.

Consent remains in your hands

Microsoft stresses that Copilot Tasks is not fully autonomous. It asks for consent before committing to actions such as spending money, sending communications, or confirming reservations. Users can pause or cancel workflows at any time.

That safeguard is critical. As AI moves deeper into transactional territory, trust and oversight become central to adoption.

Copilot Tasks vs. Copilot Actions

The company previously introduced Copilot Actions, which can trigger specific automated steps. Copilot Tasks appears broader in scope, operating across multiple services and maintaining longer-running workflows behind the scenes.

In practical terms, Actions feel like smart commands. Tasks function more like delegated projects.

Release date of Copilot Tasks

Copilot Tasks is currently in a limited research preview with a public waitlist. Broader availability is expected in the coming weeks as the software giant gathers feedback and refines the experience.

If it performs as promised, Copilot Tasks could significantly reduce context switching and administrative overhead. The real test will be reliability and how comfortable users feel letting AI coordinate meaningful parts of their daily workflow.

Are you planning to use Copilot Tasks? Let me know in the comments.