check before: 2025-11-15
Product:
Copilot, Entra, Microsoft 365 admin center, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Teams
Platform:
Online, World tenant
Status:
Change type:
New feature, User impact, Admin impact
Links:
Details:
Summary:
Microsoft 365 Copilot’s People agent, launching in Frontier with public preview in November 2025 and general availability in Q1 2026, helps users discover organizational insights from emails, chats, meetings, and documents. Admins control deployment and access via Microsoft Entra ID groups; users need a Copilot license and enabled People Skills service.
Details:
[Introduction:]
We're introducing the People agent in Frontier-a Copilot agent designed to help users quickly understand and discover people in their organization. By surfacing insights from emails, chats, meetings, and documents, the People agent simplifies meeting prep and helps users navigate organizational relationships. This release is part of the Frontier program, which provides early access to experimental Microsoft 365 Copilot innovations for evaluation and feedback.
[When this will happen:]
Public Preview (Worldwide): Begins in mid-November 2025.
General Availability (Worldwide): Begins in Q1 (January - March) 2026.
Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
Created:
2025-11-10
updated:
2025-11-15
Task Type
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Docu to Check
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MS How does it affect me
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MS Preperations
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MS Urgency
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MS workload name
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Pictures
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summary for non-techies**
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Direct effects for Operations**
Data Privacy Concerns
The introduction of the People agent may lead to unintended exposure of sensitive organizational data as it aggregates and presents existing data in new contextual ways. If not properly managed, this could result in data breaches or misuse of information.
- roles: IT Admin, Compliance Officer
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide, https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin/copilot/manage-agents
User Confusion and Resistance
Users may experience confusion or resistance to adopting the new People agent if they are not adequately prepared or trained on its functionalities, leading to decreased productivity and frustration.
- roles: End User, Training Coordinator
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide, https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin/copilot/manage-agents
Increased Support Requests
The rollout of the People agent without proper preparation may lead to an increase in support requests from users facing issues or needing assistance with the new features, straining IT support resources.
- roles: Help Desk Support, IT Admin
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide, https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin/copilot/manage-agents
Configutation Options**
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Opportunities**
Enhanced User Collaboration
The People agent can significantly improve collaboration by providing users with insights into colleagues' skills and past interactions, making it easier to identify the right people for projects and discussions. This can lead to more effective teamwork and faster decision-making.
- next-steps: Conduct training sessions for users to familiarize them with the People agent's capabilities. Monitor usage and gather feedback to continuously improve the user experience.
- roles: Team Leaders, Project Managers, HR Managers
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide
Streamlined Onboarding Processes
By leveraging the People agent, new employees can quickly understand the organizational structure and identify key contacts within the company, thus reducing the time taken to onboard and integrate into teams.
- next-steps: Integrate the People agent into the onboarding process for new hires and provide them with resources to maximize its use. Evaluate feedback from new employees to refine the onboarding experience.
- roles: HR Managers, Training Coordinators
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/copilot/manage-agents
Improved Admin Control and Management
The ability for admins to control deployment and access via Microsoft Entra ID groups allows for better management of who can use the People agent, ensuring that only relevant users have access, which can enhance security and compliance.
- next-steps: Review current user access policies and configure Entra ID groups accordingly. Regularly audit group memberships and permissions to ensure compliance with organizational policies.
- roles: IT Administrators, Compliance Officers
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide
Potentional Risks**
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Data Protection**
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IT Security**
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Hypothetical Work Council Statement**
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DPIA Draft**
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explanation for non-techies**
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** AI generated content. This information must be reviewed before use.
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change history
| Date | Property | old | new |
| 2025-11-15 | MC prepare | Identify end users who will gain early access to Frontier features. Add those users to a Microsoft Entra ID group so the group can be configured for access.
Frontier features are experimental and subject to change. Participation in the Frontier program is optional. Review admin controls for agent deployment and access: Settings for agents - Manage Microsoft 365 Copilot agents in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn Ensure users have an active Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Enable the People Skills service to unlock skills-related features in the agent. Licensing Requirements: Users must have an active Microsoft 365 Copilot license to access Frontier features, including the People agent. To access skills features in the People agent, the People Skills service must be enabled for the tenant. If the service is not enabled, the skills tab and associated skills-related prompts will not appear in the People agent. [Compliance considerations:] QuestionAnswer Does the change introduce or significantly modify AI/ML or agent capabilities that interact with or provide access to customer data?Yes. The People agent uses generative AI to surface insights from emails, chats, meetings, and documents that the user has access to. Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed (e.g. documents, emails, chats, etc.)?Yes. The agent aggregates and presents existing data in new contextual ways to help users understand colleagues and prepare for interactions. Does the change include an admin control and can it be controlled through Entra ID group membership?Yes. Admins can manage deployment and access to the People agent using Microsoft Entra ID groups. Does the change allow a user to enable and disable the feature themselves?Yes. Users can install or remove the agent if permitted by admin settings. https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin/copilot/manage-agents https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide#settings-for-agents | Identify end users who will gain early access to Frontier features. Add those users to a Microsoft Entra ID group so the group can be configured for access.
Frontier features are experimental and subject to change. Participation in the Frontier program is optional. Review admin controls for agent deployment and access: Settings for agents - Manage Microsoft 365 Copilot agents in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn Ensure users have an active Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Enable the People Skills service to unlock skills-related features in the agent. Licensing Requirements: Users must have an active Microsoft 365 Copilot license to access Frontier features, including the People agent. To access skills features in the People agent, the People Skills service must be enabled for the tenant. If the service is not enabled, the skills tab and associated skills-related prompts will not appear in the People agent. [Compliance considerations:] QuestionAnswer Does the change introduce or significantly modify AI/ML or agent capabilities that interact with or provide access to customer data?Yes. The People agent uses generative AI to surface insights from emails, chats, meetings, and documents that the user has access to. Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed (e.g. documents, emails, chats, etc.)?Yes. The agent aggregates and presents existing data in new contextual ways to help users understand colleagues and prepare for interactions. Does the change include an admin control and can it be controlled through Entra ID group membership?Yes. Admins can manage deployment and access to the People agent using Microsoft Entra ID groups. Does the change allow a user to enable and disable the feature themselves?Yes. Users can install or remove the agent if permitted by admin settings. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-copilot-agents-integrated-apps?view=o365-worldwide https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/admin/copilot/manage-agents |
| 2025-11-15 | MC How Affect | Who is affected:
Admins managing Microsoft 365 Copilot deployments. Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and the "Microsoft 365 Copilot in Productivity Apps" service plan. What will happen: The People agent will be available to deploy via the Copilot Control center in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Users will be able to access the agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams. The People agent leverages three main data sources to provide a tailored experience for users: Microsoft 365 data available to the user: Documents, emails, Teams messages, meeting recordings, and transcripts that the user has access to are used to build context about colleagues-who they are, what they care about, and prior interactions. Organizational data from your company directory: Enables high-fidelity org charts and answers questions about team structure. The People Skills service: Powers skill-based query responses and helps users find colleagues with specific skills. Admins can: Deploy the agent on behalf of users by accepting Microsoft Entra permissions. Restrict access to specific users or groups. Remove or block the agent entirely. Screenshot 1 - People agent homepage, where a user can better understand the organization and the people in it, and prepare for meetings: Screenshot 2 - People agent displaying organizational insights using directory and Copilot data | Who is affected:
Admins managing Microsoft 365 Copilot deployments. Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and the "Microsoft 365 Copilot in Productivity Apps" service plan. What will happen: The People agent will be available to deploy via the Copilot Control System in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Users will be able to access the agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams. The People agent leverages three main data sources to provide a tailored experience for users: Microsoft 365 data available to the user: Documents, emails, Teams messages, meeting recordings, and transcripts that the user has access to are used to build context about colleagues-who they are, what they care about, and prior interactions. Organizational data from your company directory: Enables high-fidelity org charts and answers questions about team structure. The People Skills service: Powers skill-based query responses and helps users find colleagues with specific skills. Admins can: Deploy the agent on behalf of users by accepting Microsoft Entra permissions. Restrict access to specific users or groups. Remove or block the agent entirely. Screenshot 1 - People agent homepage, where a user can better understand the organization and the people in it, and prepare for meetings: Screenshot 2 - People agent displaying organizational insights using directory and Copilot data |
| 2025-11-15 | MC Last Updated | 11/10/2025 17:04:47 | 2025-11-14T17:48:09Z |
Last updated 2 months ago ago
