Summary

  • 3 minutes

In this module, you explored how to leverage the Microsoft Copilot Stack and Microsoft 365 Agents SDK to build powerful custom engine agents that can transform organizational productivity and collaboration.

What you learned

You began by understanding custom engine agents - programmable AI assistants that give developers full control over orchestration, AI models, and data integrations. Unlike traditional bots, these agents leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to provide dynamic, context-aware interactions with advanced capabilities including UI manipulation, task execution, and content creation.

You discovered the Microsoft Copilot Stack architecture, which provides the foundational framework for building AI agents through three essential tiers:

  • AI Infrastructure & Foundation Models: The back-end layer containing LLMs like GPT-4 running on Azure's enterprise-grade infrastructure with built-in security, compliance, and content filtering
  • AI Orchestration Layer: The middle tier that manages conversation flow, intent planning, tool usage, and maintains context across interactions
  • Front-end User Experience: Where agents interact with users across Microsoft 365 applications like Teams, Outlook, and Office

You learned about the Microsoft 365 Agents SDK ecosystem and its key components:

  • Microsoft 365 Agents SDK: The pro-code framework for building enterprise-grade, scalable, multi-channel agents with full control over orchestration and AI integration
  • Teams AI Library: A specialized SDK providing Teams-specific abstractions, built-in orchestration, and native integration with Teams features like Adaptive Cards and conversations
  • Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit: Development tools including VS Code extensions, CLI tools, and the Agents Playground for testing and deployment

You explored the pro-code development path using Azure OpenAI Service with the Teams AI Library, understanding how this approach provides conversational scaffolding, intent planning, memory management, and seamless Teams platform integration while giving developers flexibility in model selection and custom logic implementation.

Finally, you discovered the "write once, run everywhere" capability of the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit, which enables building agents once and deploying them across multiple Microsoft 365 front-ends including Teams, Outlook, Office add-ins, and the Copilot in Microsoft 365 app.

Key takeaways

  • Custom engine agents represent the evolution from traditional bots to intelligent, LLM-powered assistants that can understand natural language, maintain context, and perform complex tasks
  • The Copilot Stack provides a comprehensive architecture that handles everything from AI infrastructure to user experience, allowing developers to focus on business logic rather than underlying complexity
  • The Microsoft 365 Agents SDK offers both flexibility and simplicity - from pro-code control to Teams-specific abstractions - enabling developers to choose the right level of customization for their needs
  • Pro-code development with Azure OpenAI and Teams AI Library provides the optimal balance of power and productivity for enterprise scenarios
  • The Agents Toolkit accelerates development with templates, testing environments, and deployment automation while supporting multi-channel distribution

Next steps

Now that you understand the Copilot Stack and Microsoft 365 Agents SDK, you're ready to:

  • Start building your first custom engine agent using the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit
  • Explore the Teams AI Library documentation to understand advanced conversation patterns
  • Set up an Azure OpenAI Service deployment for your organization
  • Experiment with the Agents Playground to prototype and test agent interactions
  • Consider how custom engine agents can address specific business scenarios in your organization

Additional resources