Microsoft has announced the addition of two "deep reasoning" AI agents, Researcher and Analyst, to its Microsoft 365 Copilot platform, marking a significant advancement in research and data analysis capabilities. This move comes on the heels of recent AI announcements from Google and OpenAI, as the tech giants continue to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence.

The Researcher AI agent leverages OpenAI's deep research AI model to facilitate complex, multi-step research, while also providing access to third-party data through connectors to sources like Salesforce or ServiceNow. This enables business customers to derive insights from across their tools, making it a powerful tool for data-driven decision-making.

The Analyst AI agent, based on OpenAI's o3-mini reasoning model, is capable of turning raw data into spreadsheets, running Python code in real-time, and operating at the level of a skilled data scientist. Microsoft claims that Analyst can pull together comprehensive reports, making it an invaluable asset for businesses seeking to extract meaningful insights from their data.

Both Researcher and Analyst are scheduled to start rolling out in April to Microsoft 365 Copilot license holders as part of an early access program. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing new autonomous agent capabilities in Copilot Studio, which are already starting to roll out. These agent flows are designed to automate tasks with rule-based workflows that include AI actions, allowing users to create custom AI agents that can perform a wide range of tasks.

Microsoft's announcement highlights the growing importance of AI in the tech industry, as companies like Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft continue to invest in AI research and development. The introduction of these "deep reasoning" AI agents has significant implications for businesses, enabling them to automate tasks, gain deeper insights from their data, and drive innovation.

While the potential benefits of these AI agents are substantial, it remains to be seen how they will perform in real-world scenarios. As AI companies continue to make promises about the capabilities of their agents, it is essential to evaluate their performance and assess their ability to deliver on these promises.

In the broader context, Microsoft's announcement underscores the ongoing AI race among tech giants, as they strive to develop more advanced and capable AI models. As AI technology continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how these developments shape the future of research, data analysis, and automation.