To close out the second annual Biz Apps Partner Executive Summit, Bas Brekelmans, CTO of Copilot Studio, laid out how Microsoft is using autonomous agents internally and how partners can take advantage of the same tools. “They [Agents] save time, handle repetitive work, and help me focus on what matters,” he explained.
Brekelmans explained that Copilot Studio isn’t just a developer tool, it’s a way to simplify and scale real business processes. Microsoft has rolled out Copilot agents across internal teams, from HR to engineering. In HR, agents reduced support case volume by 40%. In customer service, they saved Microsoft $40 million last year by improving response times and reducing manual effort.
One use case involved Microsoft’s global network infrastructure. Brekelmans explained that when fiber cables break between Azure datacenters, an agent can detect the issue, contact local providers, and follow up with “very assertive” emails. The result? Faster response times and less overhead.
Brekelmans also pointed to customer wins. A UK-based retailer, Pets at Home, uses agents to detect fraud, which was become 10x faster and enables the team to handle 20x the cases per day.
Copilot Studio helps businesses move from simple automation to more advanced, autonomous workflows, he noted. “It’s not just about chatbots… it’s about agents that take action, solve problems, and can even be triggered by business events, not just humans.”
He outlined Microsoft’s multi-agent strategy, which supports agents working together across different domains. Businesses can also plug in external agents and APIs using protocols like MCP.
Brekelmans encouraged partners to explore the tools and knowledge connectors that can be integrated into agent workflows. “It’s a plug-and-play model,” said Brekelmans. “You build the tools, the customers build the agents.”
In closing, he emphasized that agents aren’t replacing people. They’re doing the “boring” stuff so human workers can do more valuable work. “You just want your agents scoped, structured, and doing their job.”
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