How to use Actions in Copilot Agents to automate tasks

With Copilot Agents, automation will get redefined. What is you could trigger tasks/activities directly from your AI? In this blogpost we’ll dive into Copilot Agents, and how can you create one to execute complex tasks effortlessly. Let’s dive in.

What are Copilot Agents?

At their core, Copilot Agents are intelligent assistants built in Copilot Studio that combine knowledge, instructions, and actions to automate workflows and enhance productivity. Unlike static knowledge bases, agents are interactive, executing tasks and answering queries based on user prompts. For example, an agent could serve as an IT Service Desk assistant, capable of both retrieving user information and updating group permissions.

A Copilot Agent can be more than just a chatbot with added knowledge, You can designed it with specific business goals and tasks in mind; and let ie really execute stuff. Agents are tailored to align with organizational processes, combining technical capabilities with a user-centric approach to solve real-world problems.

Please read more about agents here, or watch our video about Copilot Agents here.

What are actions?

Actions are one of the building blocks of a Copilot Agent. These are the tasks your agent can execute to make things happen. From creating a user in Microsoft Entra ID to updating a Trello board, actions allow agents to automate a wide range of activities. With over 1,000 connectors available in Copilot Studio, you can integrate your agent with various applications to meet your organization’s needs.

The below image demonstrates the configuration of a Copilot Agent with actions. In this case, the agent is capable of planning events, create chat channels in teams and post chats.