Microsoft is launching a new Agent Mode in Excel and Word, allowing users to generate complex documents and spreadsheets through simple prompts. This feature is part of Microsoft 365 Copilot and is powered by Anthropic models.
Sumit Chauhan, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Office Product Group, stated, “Today we’re bringing vibe working to Microsoft 365 Copilot with Agent Mode in Office apps and Office Agent in Copilot chat.”
Agent Mode is designed to simplify complex tasks in Excel and Word, making them accessible to non-experts. It provides detailed outputs like board-ready presentations and documents quickly.
“It’s work, quite frankly, that a first-year consultant would do, delivered in minutes.”
— Sumit Chauhan, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft
Agent Mode utilizes OpenAI’s GPT-5 model to break down document creation into manageable tasks, displaying real-time processes in a sidebar.
Microsoft emphasizes the importance of data integrity in Excel, with Chauhan noting, “[Agent Mode] lets you build sheets that are auditable, refreshable, and verifiable.”
Agent Mode in Excel has an accuracy rate of 57.2 percent according to SpreadsheetBench, surpassing other AI tools but still trailing behind human accuracy at 71.3 percent.
In Word, Agent Mode enhances existing AI features by turning document creation into an interactive experience, allowing Copilot to draft and refine content.
“Copilot makes suggestions to keep the process flowing, so writing feels more like a dialogue than a task.”
— Sumit Chauhan, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft
Office Agent, also part of Copilot chat, can create structured PowerPoint presentations and Word documents from chat prompts, addressing previous shortcomings of AI in slide creation.
Microsoft aims to differentiate Office from other AI tools by providing comprehensive features that enhance productivity.
“Productivity is our DNA, we’re Office.”
— Sumit Chauhan, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft
Office Agent marks the integration of Anthropic AI models into Microsoft 365 apps, complementing the existing OpenAI models.
Agent Mode will be available today in the Frontier program for Microsoft 365 Copilot customers and Microsoft 365 Personal/Family subscribers, initially in web versions with desktop support coming soon.
