At its annual Ignite conference, Microsoft unveiled its vision for the next generation of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on autonomous “AI agents” designed to handle complex tasks independently. The move has sparked backlash from rivals, with some dismissing the shift as a desperate rebranding effort.
CEO Satya Nadella highlighted the potential of these AI agents to transform business operations, enabling tasks such as customer return approvals or analyzing shipping invoices to mitigate supply-chain errors. In a blog post, Microsoft described these agents as capable of running continuously, reducing inefficiencies and boosting productivity for organizations worldwide.
This marks a significant pivot from traditional AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s own Copilot, which primarily assist with writing and basic user queries. The new “agentic AI” aims to go beyond generating text, focusing on long-term planning, reasoning, and autonomous task execution.
However, the shift has not been without criticism. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff dismissed the rebranding effort as “panic mode,” arguing that Microsoft’s flagship AI assistant, Copilot, has failed to deliver on its promises, citing issues with accuracy and data security. “Calling it ‘agents’ doesn’t change the fact that Copilot is a flop,” Benioff said in a recent social media post.
Microsoft’s strategy reflects growing competition in the AI sector, as companies like Google, OpenAI, and Salesforce race to integrate advanced AI into business operations. Yet, questions remain about the technology’s scalability, cost-effectiveness, and real-world utility.
Despite the criticism, Microsoft remains optimistic about the potential of autonomous AI, envisioning a future where “every organization will have a constellation of agents” to drive efficiency and innovation. As the debate over AI’s capabilities continues, businesses will ultimately determine whether this new direction represents the future of AI or just another overhyped promise.
