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Microsoft 365 Copilot: Introducing Researcher with Computer Use

From Microsoft 365 Message Center Archive by Merill Fernando · Microsoft may not have sent this notice to your tenant.

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What the notice says

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Introduction

We’re introducing Researcher with Computer Use in Microsoft 365 Copilot—a powerful extension that enables users to interact with public, gated, and interactive web content using a secure virtual computer. This enhancement helps users uncover deeper insights, take action, and generate richer reports grounded in both their work data and the web.

When this will happen

Rollout begins October 30, 2025, for all tenants with Frontier access.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
- All tenants with Frontier access using Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- A Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required to use Researcher with Computer Use.
- Admins can manage licensing and agent access in the Copilot admin portal.
What will happen:
- Users will be able to access premium and authenticated web content that requires credentials and consent.
- Users can take action directly from the Copilot interface—clicking, typing, navigating, and completing tasks.
- Rich artifacts such as presentations, spreadsheets, and applications can be generated using advanced code generation.
- Reports can be tailored using business data including meetings, files, chats, and more.
- By default, Computer Use is enabled unless configured otherwise by an admin, and work is turned off for the user. The user can still enable work in sources, unless disabled by an admin.
- The original Researcher agent experience (without Computer Use) remains available if your organization is not enrolled in Frontier or if Computer Use is not enabled.

What you can do to prepare

Ensure eligible users have Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses assigned.
Review and configure feature access in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Specify allowed websites and manage work access settings.
Communicate this change to helpdesk staff.
Update internal documentation if you detail Copilot capabilities.
Learn more:
- Introducing Researcher with Computer Use in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Copilot Blog
- Get started with Researcher agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Researcher with Computer Use admin configuration | Microsoft Learn
- Researcher with Computer Use frequently asked questions | Microsoft Learn

Compliance considerations

Question	Answer
Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed?	Yes. Researcher with Computer Use allows Copilot to combine business data (such as meetings, files, and chats) with web content to generate outputs.
Does the change introduce or significantly modify AI/ML or agent capabilities that interact with or provide access to customer data?	Yes. This update expands Copilot’s AI capabilities to interact with gated and interactive web content using a virtual computer.
Does the change provide end users any new way of interacting with generative AI?	Yes. Users can now generate rich artifacts such as presentations, spreadsheets, and applications using advanced code generation.
Does the change include an admin control and can it be controlled through Entra ID group membership?	Yes. Admins can configure access, specify allowed websites, and manage work access using Entra ID groups.
Does the change allow a user to enable and disable the feature themselves?	No. The feature is enabled by default and can only be configured by an admin.

What changed

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Learn more

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