Microsoft launches Project Opal for AI agents handling long-term tasks

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently announced the launch of Project Opal, a new AI feature for Microsoft 365 Copilot. It's designed as an AI agent that helps users plan and run complex, long-term tasks in a secure environment.

Project Opal can work for hours or even days, handling tasks like gathering materials, making spreadsheets, creating slides, and sending them to colleagues. For example, it can analyze a month of outdoor camera footage, spot animals, make a highlight video, and organize the data into spreadsheets and presentations to share on Teams.

Users can start tasks from the Frontier module in Microsoft 365 Copilot on desktop or web. The system creates a plan and uses a Windows 365 Cloud PC, with an AI model guiding the browser. Early uses include compliance checks, team member requests, and time-off approvals. In audits, it saves engineers up to 20 hours a week.