Microsoft Copilot or a custom-built AI agent – what is the difference?
Copilot helps the individual employee with text in Office. A custom-built AI agent handles a specific workflow across your systems. Often you need both.
Short answer
Microsoft Copilot helps the individual employee write, summarise and find things in the Office apps. A custom-built AI agent handles a specific workflow from start to finish – e.g. customer emails that need to become quotes and orders – across email, ERP and CRM and according to your rules. The two do not rule each other out.
What Copilot is good at
- Writing and rewriting text in Word and Outlook.
- Summarising meetings, emails and documents.
- Finding information in your Microsoft 365.
What a custom-built AI agent is good at
- A whole workflow: e.g. reading a customer email, looking things up in the ERP and preparing a quote.
- Your own systems: ERP, CRM and specialist systems – including those outside Microsoft.
- Your rules: what the agent may read, what it may write, and when an employee must approve.
- Shared overview: cases and history the whole team can see.
When should you choose which?
Choose Copilot when the goal is to make the individual employee faster with text. Choose a custom-built AI agent when a specific workflow takes a lot of time and runs through several systems. Many companies end up with both.
How BCT helps
Relay is our AI agent for customer dialogue: it brings together email and data from ERP and CRM and prepares the work for approval. If you are unsure where AI gives the most value, start with a Shadow Walk.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI agent be used together with Copilot?
Yes. Employees can use Copilot for text while the agent handles a specific workflow.
Does a custom-built agent require us to change systems?
No. The agent connects to the systems you already have, e.g. Outlook and your ERP.
What is an AI agent?
In short
Copilot helps with text. A custom-built AI agent helps with a whole workflow across your systems. Choose based on where the time actually goes.
Questions, or want to know what this could mean for you? Email me directly or give us a call.
Want to see what it could look like for you?
We are happy to have a no-obligation talk about your day-to-day work and where AI and software can make a difference.
