Microsoft Reviewing OpenClaw-Style Agent for Copilot

Microsoft is testing a plan to integrate OpenClaw-like functionality into Microsoft 365 Copilot. The company is designing this for enterprise customers, with the idea of adding stronger security controls than the open-source OpenClaw, which has been flagged for risk.

OpenClaw is a tool that runs locally on a user's computer and can create agents to perform tasks on their behalf. If Microsoft releases something similar, it would become part of a broader automation strategy alongside the other agent products the company has unveiled in quick succession recently.

Microsoft has already announced Copilot Cowork and Copilot Tasks. Cowork, built on Work IQ, performs tasks directly within Microsoft 365 apps but runs in the cloud, and Copilot Tasks is likewise a cloud-based agent that handles things like organizing email or managing travel and schedules.

It's still unclear whether the new agent will be exactly locally run, or whether it will simply borrow OpenClaw's popular features. However, Microsoft has hinted at a direction where it functions like an "always-on" 365 Copilot, continuously handling multi-step tasks over extended periods.

Microsoft did not respond with specifics, but a company spokesperson said it is experimenting with broader orchestration and autonomy, with a focus on maintaining security, governance, and trust. Industry watchers speculate this new feature could be unveiled at the Build event in June.