[DigitalToday reporter Chi-gyu Hwang (황치규)] Microsoft has unveiled its AI tool "Copilot Tasks".

Windows Central reported on Thursday that Copilot Tasks works by letting users enter requests in natural language, after which Copilot draws up a plan and executes it directly in the background.

Microsoft describes Copilot Tasks as a "to-do list that does itself". When users describe what they need in natural language, Copilot makes a plan and starts the work. Users can adjust or fine-tune it as needed. They can set it to run repeatedly, on a schedule or as a one-off.

Copilot Tasks can handle a wide range of work. It automates recurring tasks such as filtering urgent emails each evening and preparing reply drafts, or searching for nearby rental listings every Friday and booking visits. It also performs document work, such as converting a lesson plan into a study schedule or organising emails and attachments into slide materials. It also includes functions such as booking a venue for a birthday party and sending invitations, or automatically rebooking a hotel when the rate drops.

Microsoft said, "Copilot Tasks always asks for user consent before taking important actions such as payments or sending messages, and users can pause or cancel tasks at any time while they are running."

Microsoft has also offered a similar feature called "Copilot Actions". While Copilot Actions operates in front of the user's screen, Copilot Tasks focuses on handling more work in the background.

Copilot Tasks is currently in a limited research preview stage and has not been released to the public. Microsoft plans to grant access sequentially to applicants for a public waitlist within weeks.