AI agents can now work directly in SharePoint lists and files through Work IQ
Microsoft put SharePoint tools in Work IQ into public preview on November 3. Work IQ is the layer behind Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents, and the preview gives any agent more than 60 SharePoint actions through the Work IQ MCP server. These are the same tools that power Copilot in SharePoint, and they are also coming to Copilot Studio.
With them, an agent can search a site, query and update large lists, create lists and views, and handle files, folders, approvals, e-signature requests, sharing and version history. Microsoft says that in its own tests the share of tasks done right rose from 70.1% to 84.6%, using 16% fewer tokens.
Each action runs as the signed-in user, so an agent can only see and change what that person already can. Two new permissions keep it tight: one for reading and one for making changes. An admin turns Work IQ on for the tenant and chooses which SharePoint actions are allowed. The tools are billed in Copilot Credits, separate from Microsoft 365 Copilot licences, and admins can set spending policies in the admin center.
What it means for your work
- For SharePoint owners: Ask an agent to build a tracker list with the right columns and views, instead of building it by hand.
- For admins: Give the read permission first, and allow change actions only for agents you trust.
- For budgets: Set a spending policy before a pilot, since use is billed in Copilot Credits.
For more on Copilot, see our Microsoft Copilot review.