Microsoft will offer companies a subscription to AI agents as employees.

Microsoft is preparing a new product – Microsoft 365 E7

*Computerworld reports* that the corporation plans to release an expanded subscription for Microsoft 365 E7. Apparently, it will become the central element of the company’s strategy for licensing “agent” AI workers who will act as human employees.

What are “AI agents”
* AI agents are not just an extension of the Copilot ecosystem.
* They involve full integration of artificial intelligence into all business processes:
* continuous management of sales data;
* workflow planning;
* IT system monitoring.
* Microsoft describes them as “trusted members of the team” who perform repetitive intellectual tasks, guided by internal policy and data access restrictions.

From auto‑completion to operational level
Until now Copilot has acted as an auto‑completion tool in Office applications.
Now the company wants to bring AI to the enterprise’s operational level:
* work will be stable, accountable, and paid under a regular employee scheme;
* it is essentially a familiar subscription model – “pay for licenses” instead of a one‑time software purchase.

Microsoft asks: are organizations ready to consider AI agents as full participants in workflows, not just a fantastic concept? Soon similar agents will also be available from Salesforce, Google, and OpenAI.

Replacing people is not planned yet
* Microsoft emphasizes that this is about enhancing companies’ capabilities, not replacing live employees.
* In the future operating systems may rely on neural processors (NPUs) – AI accelerators – and Copilot‑style assistants.

What it means for PC users
1. New hardware requirements – when buying a new Windows 11 computer you may need an additional device compatible with upcoming Windows 12 and NPU.
2. Rising memory costs – RAM is already getting more expensive, and NPU chips are costly.
3. Subscription instead of one‑time payment – most software will be offered via subscription.

Consequences for traditional users
People who prefer a one‑time purchase of software and classic PC usage models may seriously consider switching to alternative operating systems:
* Linux (open source)
* Apple macOS (if they’re ready for a different ecosystem)

Because Microsoft may soon not offer such flexibility in its ecosystem.