Microsoft's new OpenClaw assistant will make phone calls, read your email, and manage your schedule

Microsoft announced Scout at Build 2026, a new AI assistant categorized as an 'Autopilot' agent — distinct from Copilot in that it operates autonomously without constant user input. Scout integrates with Microsoft 365 to handle tasks like managing email, scheduling, and making phone calls. To address enterprise concerns about unattended AI agents causing harm, Microsoft emphasized governance features: each Scout agent runs under its own Entra identity, with scoped credentials and audit trails. Scout is currently in private preview for select customers and Frontier tier organizations.