New from Microsoft: Work IQ and Agent 365 and Microsoft 365 E7

Microsoft have made a series of announcements and notice of launches:

Wave 3 of Microsoft 365 Copilot
Expanded model diversity with Claude and next-gen OpenAI models now available (check regional availability)
General availability of Agent 365 on 1 May 2026 for US$15 per user
General availability of the new Microsoft 365 E7: The Frontier Suite on 1 May 2026 (available with, or without, Teams)

Microsoft are aligning AI with human ambition by democratising intelligence, albeit at a small charge.

Microsoft Frontier Intelligence is the idea of making AI an always-available, integrated intelligence layer across enterprise software, where human workers and AI agents collaborate to run and optimise business operations. Microsoft believes the two most essential elements of Frontier Transformation are “Intelligence + Trust”.

Wave 3

In March 2026 Microsoft is releasing Work IQ with the next generation of agentic experiences in Wave 3 of Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

End Users using the office suite upgraded with Work IQ will have an enhanced chat experience in Copilot with the ability to create and augment artifacts, and the power to build their own agents within the canvas they work in every day.

Copilot leverages leading models from OpenAI and Anthropic, operating openly across clouds and data services without locking customers in. Claude is now available in mainline chat in Copilot via the Frontier program, alongside the latest generation of OpenAI models.

Copilot Cowork is currently in research preview. Built in close collaboration with Anthropic, it will include the technology that powers Claude Cowork brought into Microsoft 365 Copilot to enable long-running, multi-step work that unfolds over time.

Microsoft Agent 365

In 1 May 2026, there should be general availability of Microsoft Agent 365, the control-plane for AI agents. Priced at US$15 per user, Agent 365 gives IT and security leaders a single place to observe, govern, manage and secure agents across the organisation — using the same infrastructure, applications and protections they rely on.

Judson Althoff, CEO of Microsoft Commercial Business, has commented:

“We have tens of thousands of customers that are already adopting Agent 365 to securely govern and scale AI agents across enterprise workflows.”

Microsoft 365 E7

Microsoft are bringing Intelligence + Trust together with Microsoft 365 E7: The Frontier Suite. Microsoft 365 E7 unifies Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Agent 365 into a single solution powered by Work IQ and integrated with the apps and security stack customers are currently using. It includes Microsoft Entra Suite and advanced Defender, Intune and Purview security capabilities, delivering protection across agents and employees. It will be offered at US$99 per user (check regional availability and local currency pricing at launch in May 2026).