Age of Copilots #51
Welcome to the 51st edition of Age of Copilots newsletter!
This newsletter has a curated list of articles and videos to update developers with latest and upcoming developments in Microsoft Copilots, Copilot Studio and Microsoft AI delivered weekly to your inbox.
Microsoft announcements and articles
We’re excited to announce the public preview of two powerful new capabilities in Microsoft Power Apps: Agent APIs and Agent response component. These features were shown in the Microsoft Build session Extend your Copilot Agent in Power Apps with Copilot Studio and new SDK’s. With them, you unlock new ways to integrate Microsoft Copilot Studio (MCS) into your model-driven apps, enabling richer, more contextual, and more intelligent user experiences.
Agent APIs
The Agent API provides a robust set of methods that allow makers to programmatically interact with topics created in Copilot Studio. Available through both the Xrm.Copilot and PcfContext.Copilot namespaces, these APIs enable two core operations:
executeEvent: Triggers a topic based on a registered event name and returns a structured response.
executePrompt: Sends a natural language prompt to MCS and receives a response based on trigger phrases defined in the topic.
These APIs are designed for use within model-driven apps and can be embedded in XRM event handlers or custom PCF controls.
Agent response component
The Agent response component allows a maker to easily add the Copilot Studio content into a model-driven form using a provided component. The component supports rendering markdown, adaptive card, image or video content.
Github Copilot Chat for VS Code is open source
Thomas Dohmke announces GitHub Copilot Chat client for VS Code is now open source under the MIT license. This means, you can:
🔍 Explore the code on GitHub
🛠️ Open PRs, file issues & contribute
💬 See what prompts/context we send to LLMs
🤖 Use Copilot agent mode to implement your own features and bugfixes
Open Source AI Editor: First Milestone
System Prompts in Github Copilot Chat
Karan MV shares you can now read the actual system prompts used by GitHub Copilot Chat — now open source and ready to explore along with the entire Chat extension for VS Code.
Curious how Agent Mode works under the hood?
🤖 What context gets sent to the LLM?
🧠 How we structure multi-turn interactions?
📊 How telemetry flows?
GitHub Copilot Chat VS Code extension is now open source — and it’s all there. The prompts. The orchestration logic. The inner workings of Agent Mode.
Here's the GitHub repo: https://lnkd.in/gZNMkr9r
Articles
Combine Copilot Studio with Model Driven Apps
Scott Durow shares magical things happen when you combine Copilot Studio and Model Driven apps.
We have published a new blog showing how you can embed Copilot Studio intelligence directly into your forms, helping users complete tasks faster, stay in context, and unlock new AI-powered experiences in model-driven apps.
Blog post from Adrian Orth: https://lnkd.in/gFFidXuA
If you’d like to see this in action, check out the Microsoft Build session I co-presented with Hemant Gaur, where we do a deep dive demo:
https://lnkd.in/gaBf-qWk
How to Deploy Copilot Agents Using Copilot Studio – Step-by-Step for Beginners
In this article Gowtham Rajamanickam walks through how to deploy a Copilot Agent using Copilot Studio.
Matthew Devaney shares he found a hidden Copilot Studio action to Add Records to a table variable.
Tips for writing agent instructions – Rishona Elijah
Clear instructions make a big difference when setting up your AI agent. Rishona Elijah shares a few tips to improve instructions for your agent.
Save AI Meeting Notes in Copilot for Sales
Amira Beldjilali shares one of the most requested features in Copilot for Sales is here: "Save AI Meeting Notes" => aka.ms/SalesCopilotTipTime
🔹 One click to save AI-generated notes to CRM
🔹 Stay focused, hashtag#Copilotforsales handles the follow-up 👍🏻
🔹 Structured, searchable, and synced
🔗link aka.ms/SalesCopilotTipTime
Get started with Dataverse MCP
Nathan Rose walks through how to get started with Dataverse MCP
Ashish Bhatia shares why your evals are valuable. OpenAI cookbook is a good example of how eval based system design should be done in this age of GenerativeAI.
https://lnkd.in/e_kkJjJi
Natraj Yegnaraman shares that first release of official Power Platform CLI MCP has arrived with 1.44.2.
Agent APIs are in public preview. Ramakrishnan Raman shares two reference implementations that showcase this new pattern:
🩺 Patient Care Assistant
Analyzes a patient’s symptoms, history, and severity to recommend personalized treatment plans. These suggestions appear right inside the form, where clinicians need actionable insight the most.
📊 Financial Advisor Assistant
Evaluates investment portfolios, market trends, and risk to deliver real-time optimization suggestions, embedded directly within the financial record.
GitHub: https://lnkd.in/gMXemjAU
Videos
In this video Daniel Christian shares his 5 tips to follow when building a custom agent in Copilot Studio.
In this step-by-step tutorial video, Nathan Rose walks you through how to set up MCP, connect it to Dataverse, and start using natural language queries to create records build charts and more.
In this video Sriram Balaji video walks through how to build a group of agents for Content Review called Review Agent Squad.
This video is part of Build multi agent solutions with Copilot Studio series, where you can learn fundamentals of creating multi agent solutions with Copilot Studio.
Jack Rowbotham shares a quick 2 minute video that shows how Copilot Studio works.
Abram Jackson shares his prototype 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿, making agent creation as easy as talking to your coworker!
It features:
🫱 Scenario guidance
🪜 Workflow steps
💬 Example conversation
🧠 Knowledge and tools walkthrough
➡️ Export instructions
⚙️ Configuration steps
The instructions are directly from his newsletter article, but this .zip file is even easier:
https://lnkd.in/gxw-Qe6f
If your admin allows it, you can upload this zip file in Teams (Apps > Manage your apps > Upload an app).
Computer-using Agent in Copilot Studio
Elaiza Benitez was joined by Seth Juarez on The AI Show 🎙️ to talk about Computer-Using Agents (CUA) in Copilot Studio.
👉🏻 Watch now at https://lnkd.in/ggrkVmrz
🤔 What is it?
Computer use in CopilotStudio enables an agent to interact with systems that have graphical user interfaces. It utilizes Computer-Using Agents (CUA), an AI model that integrates vision capabilities with advanced reasoning to navigate websites and desktop applications, just like a human would.
In this video, we explore four powerful in-app agents that use generative ai to boost productivity and enhance user experience in model-driven power apps:
🔹 Data Exploration Agent – Ask natural language questions and instantly filter data
🔹 Data Visualization Agent – Generate charts with a single click
🔹 Data Entry Agent – Use AI to auto-fill model driven app forms from unstructured text or files (smart paste)
🔹 Summary Agent – Get instant AI-generated summaries of records right inside the app
Events
Microsoft Power CAT AI Webinars
Microsoft Power CAT AI Webinars are a series of interactive virtual sessions designed to help your organization adopt Microsoft Copilot Studio and agents.
Learn Live: Master the Skills to Create AI Agents | Microsoft Reactor
This series is designed to help you complete the official Microsoft Plan on Learn for mastering the latest agentic AI technologies.
Customer Stories
Having transformed interactions with students through the deployment of Microsoft Dynamics 365, the University of Leicester is now taking innovation a step further with Microsoft Copilot Studio.
The university has developed a digital coach and AI-powered agent which provides instant access to key university information. It reduces staff workload and ensures students get the support they need, whenever they need it.
Transform customer experience with AI agents!
See how the latest Customer Experience apps help Intralox grow its pipeline cost-effectively, enhancing quality, productivity, and relationships, and allow Apollo Travel to proactively address customer needs by automating tasks and offering insights.
Create your own autonomous agents with Copilot Studio
See how Eneco uses the new capabilities of Copilot Studio to create agents that automate large portions of their customer service operations, with no coding needed.
Microsoft Learn and other Learning Resources
Copilot Studio Governance Guide
Copilot Studio Governance guide designed by Power CAT team for Copilot Studio projects.
Microsoft Copilot Studio – Microsoft Adoption
Your one-stop hub for Copilot Studio.
AI Agents Hub – Microsoft Adoption
Your one-stop hub for getting started and scaling agents!
Here’s what you’ll find:
✅ Step-by-step setup and deployment guidance
✅ Role-based training for different users
✅ Best practices and support documentation
✅ Tools to help you build and scale agents
Whether you’re a business user, developer, or admin, this resource is designed to help you succeed from day one.
April Dunnam shares a NEW applied skills path for Creating Agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio
Copilot Studio and Azure AI Foundry integrations
In this article, Daniel Laskewitz shares Azure AI Foundry and Copilot Studio integrations and who want to learn more about Azure AI Foundry - There are two excellent resources available to learn more about Azure AI Foundry.
💬 Azure AI Foundry Discord 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYKuicVU
❔ Azure AI Foundry Forum 👉 https://lnkd.in/eHuBz7XE
Unlock the Power of AI Agents with Our Comprehensive 10-Part Course
AI Agents for Beginners(https://aka.ms/ai-agents-beginners) is designed to teach you everything you need to know to start building AI Agents. This comprehensive course consists of 10 lessons, each focusing on a specific topic, enabling you to jump in wherever you feel most comfortable.
Introduction to custom engine agents - Training | Microsoft Learn
New Microsoft Learn module to start building agents for Microsoft 365
This whitepaper delves into the role of Microsoft 365 agents, Agent Builder agents, and Copilot Studio agents, explaining how each type can be utilized to enhance operational efficiency while maintaining stringent security protocols.
Microsoft Copilot Studio ❤️ MCP | Power Platform Developer Blog
Microsoft Copilot Studio MCP Lab announcement
Publish and Manage Copilot Studio Agent Builder Agents | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Copilot Studio Resources Hub
Copilot Studio Resources Hub is your go-to destination for resources to help you build, scale, and optimize AI-powered agents.
Copilot Studio Implementation Guide Updates
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and Agent Starter Kit | Microsoft Community Hub
The Great Microsoft 365 Copilot Journey: Empower Your Team with Copilot | Microsoft Community Hub
Use Copilot in Power Automate MS Learn course
Microsoft Copilot in Power Automate course to build flows simply by describing your automation scenario.
Microsoft Copilot Studio guidance documentation - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Copilot Studio guidance documentation provides best practices, implementation, and architecture guidance information from the team that works with enterprise customers.
Copilot Developer Camp (microsoft.github.io)
Microsoft is introducing a new virtual workshop called "Copilot Developer Camp" where you can find hands-on labs to build declarative agents with API plugins! Visit Copilot Developer Camp to get started building copilot agents today.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 Pathway.
In this learning pathway Paul Griffith outlines the learning content for exploring Copilot for Microsoft 365.
Create Power Platform solutions with AI and Copilot - Training | Microsoft Learn
It introduces you to creating Power Platform solutions with Copilot to speed up development and add AI functionality to make your solutions more intelligent.
Create a chatbot with Microsoft Copilot Studio and Dataverse for Teams - Training | Microsoft Learn
This MS Learn module walks through creating a chatbot with Microsoft Copilot Studio and Dataverse for Teams
Extend Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 with Copilot Studio - Training | Microsoft Learn
This MS Learn module walks through how to extend Copilot for Microsoft 365 using Copilot Studio.
Create your first chatbot in Microsoft Copilot Studio - Online workshop - Training | Microsoft Learn
This walks through how to create your first chatbot in Microsoft Copilot Studio.
A collection of videos and demos created by passionate Power Platform advocates who love how Copilots are democratizing our abilities! This 25 day series will focus on value-adds within the Power Platform, and will highlight scenarios and solutions which you can customize further for your own purposes.
This video series walks through building your own copilots using Microsoft Copilot Studio.
Build AI Assistants with PowerApps, AI Builder and Copilot Studio Introduction - YouTube
This video series walks you through how to build your own GPT Assistants using PowerApps, AI Builder, Custom Prompts, GPT and Copilot Studio.
Copilot Resources from Microsoft
With so many Copilots announced from Microsoft, it is difficult to keep up with Copilot information. The first two links are living documents that will be updated regularly.
Discover the Copilot Learning Hub – your one-stop source for all things Microsoft Copilot!
Adopt, extend and build Copilot experiences across the Microsoft Cloud | Microsoft Learn
The above article highlights the differences between the adopt, extend, and build options showcasing the breadth of possibilities that Copilot offers.
Adopting Extending and Building Your Own Copilots | BRK401 (youtube.com)
In this Ignite session, you will learn no-code, low-code and pro-code ways that you can use the Microsoft Copilot stack. You will also be exploring the Power Platform Copilots, Dynamics Copilots, Windows Copilot, M365 Copilots and more!
Copilot Studio Cookbook - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)
The Copilot Cookbook Gallery is a curated gallery that shows you how to use Copilot Studio.
New Microsoft Copilot Studio implementation guide
Copilot Studio Implementation Guide Updates
Microsoft Copilot Studio implementation guide is designed to help customers, partners, and Microsoft teams review copilot projects and architectures for a smooth and effective implementation journey.
copilotstudioguidebook/README.md at main · sarahcritchley/copilotstudioguidebook (github.com)
Introducing the Copilot Studio Guidebook. This collection of information is designed to be a goal based starting point for professionals who want to learn how to use Microsoft Copilot Studio to build custom copilots.
Transform copilot development with Microsoft Copilot Studio | BRK212H (youtube.com)
This Ignite video shows you can extend Microsoft copilots or build your own, all in one end-to-end Copilot studio