Microsoft OpenClaw AI agent targets everyday business work
Quick Reads
- Microsoft is developing an OpenClaw-inspired AI agent inside Microsoft 365 Copilot for enterprise customers.
- The agent is designed to work around the clock, completing multi-step tasks without constant user input.
- A dedicated internal team called “Ocean 11,” led by corporate vice president Omar Shahine, is leading the effort.
- Microsoft has already integrated Anthropic’s Claude AI model into its Copilot Cowork product.
- A first public preview is expected at Microsoft Build 2026 in San Francisco in June.
Microsoft Copilot AI Agent: What Microsoft Is Actually Building
Microsoft is building a new Microsoft Copilot AI agent modelled on the fast-growing open-source tool OpenClaw. The move targets business customers who want AI that works independently, not just when prompted. It signals a major shift in how Microsoft wants its Copilot product to operate inside companies.
Microsoft is testing ways to integrate OpenClaw-like features into its existing Microsoft 365 Copilot tool. TechCrunch OpenClaw is an open-source AI platform. It runs directly on a user’s computer and can carry out tasks on the user’s behalf managing emails, browsing the web, and automating workflows. Think of it as a digital worker that operates in the background.
A newly created team under Microsoft corporate vice president Omar Shahine is exploring the potential of OpenClaw-style technologies in an enterprise context. Tech Startups The team is informally called “Ocean 11.” It is deliberately small, but every member is described as a builder with a founder’s mindset.
Shahine describes the goal as building “a new generation of proactive assistants, ones that lighten your load by taking on tasks end-to-end.”
Always-On and Always Working
The key idea behind the new agent is persistence. Most AI assistants today respond only when asked. This new approach is different.
Microsoft told The Information that one of the main features of the agent is that it would essentially be a version of 365 Copilot that is always working, able to take actions at any time. TechCrunch The goal is an AI that completes multi-step jobs over long periods without waiting for a human to keep asking.
In his own words, Shahine wrote: “People are hungry for this. Not another chatbot. Not another tool that helps when you remember to ask. An always-on agent that works on your behalf, 24/7, with real access to your real life.” Windows Central
It is not yet confirmed whether the agent will run locally on a user’s device as OpenClaw does or remain cloud-based. That distinction matters for businesses that handle sensitive data.
Security, Claude, and the Copilot Stack
One of Microsoft’s main motivations is security. The new features would be geared toward enterprise customers, with better security controls than the famously risky open-source OpenClaw agent. TechCrunch OpenClaw’s deep access to a user’s device has made many businesses nervous about deploying it at scale.
Microsoft is not starting from scratch either. It already launched Copilot Cowork in March 2026. Cowork is designed to take real actions inside Microsoft 365 apps not just answer questions. Microsoft has also tapped Anthropic’s Claude to power Cowork, after it partnered with the AI lab late last year. TechCrunch Anthropic’s Claude remains the AI model of choice for many OpenClaw users as well.
In February, Microsoft introduced Copilot Tasks in research preview, described as “a to-do list that does itself,” with its own computer and browser working in the background across various apps and services
OpenClaw has grown explosively. Its GitHub repository has more than 354,000 stars and has been forked more than 70,000 times. There are now nearly 50,000 OpenClaw-related repositories on GitHub. Ken Yeung That level of developer interest tells you where the industry is heading.
Microsoft’s version is being built for a different audience — corporate teams, not just developers. Microsoft is pitching Copilot agents as a way to automate everything from incident triage in engineering teams to complex business workflows across its apps. MSFT News Now
Details on the new Copilot capabilities have not been released. Early signals point to a possible preview at Microsoft Build 2026 in San Francisco. Tech Startups If it delivers, the Microsoft Copilot AI agent could become the enterprise answer to a tool that has so far lived mostly on personal computers.
The bigger picture is competitive pressure. Reports suggest only a small share of Office 365 customers currently pay for Copilot. Microsoft needs to show businesses that its AI tools do real work, not just chat.
