Microsoft is testing OpenClaw-like AI bots for 365 Copilot

Microsoft is exploring ways to integrate OpenClaw-style features into 365 Copilot, according to a report from The information. The test is reportedly part of efforts to make its 365 Copilot AI assistant “operate autonomously around the clock” while completing tasks on behalf of users.

Omar Shahine, vice president of Microsoft, confirmed to The information that the company is “exploring the potential of technologies like OpenClaw in an enterprise context.” OpenClaw is an open source platform that allows users to create AI-based agents that run locally on a user’s device. The platform gained popularity earlier this year, although it has since raised a number of serious security concerns.

Sources say The information that Microsoft is confident it can implement “more secure” versions of the tool. The always-on version of 365 Copilot could do things like monitor a user’s Outlook inbox and calendar and offer a list of suggested tasks each day. Microsoft is also exploring OpenClaw-style agents tailored to certain roles, such as marketing, sales and accounting, to “limit the permissions the agent needs,” separating them from other parts of the business, according to The information.

As noted The informationMicrosoft aims to showcase some of these features at its Build conference, which begins June 2. Last year, Anthropic launched integrations with its Claude AI chatbot in Microsoft 365 services, while also bringing its Claude Cowork tool to Copilot to help accomplish “long-running, multi-step tasks.” Incorporating OpenClaw-like features into Copilot could help Microsoft regain some of the customers lost to competing services.