Microsoft has expanded AI assistance in Microsoft Planner by making the Planner Agent available in both basic and premium plans. As part of this update, the previously named Project Manager Agent has been renamed to Planner Agent to reflect its role as an integrated feature within Planner. With this change, users who have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license can access AI-driven capabilities regardless of plan type. The rename does not introduce functional changes for premium users, but it standardizes the experience and naming across Planner interfaces and documentation.

For users on basic plans, Planner Agent introduces AI assistance for the first time. The initial rollout includes two capabilities: automated status report generation and task execution. Status reports can be created directly from plan data, summarizing progress, milestones, and upcoming work in a structured format that can be reviewed and shared. Task execution allows users to assign a task to the Planner Agent, which then completes the work and attaches the output to the task using an embedded Loop page. This enables plan members to review results and collaborate within the task itself.

Premium plan users continue to have access to the full set of Planner Agent features under the new name, including task generation, task assignment, automated execution, and conversational Copilot chat within Planner. These features function as they did previously, with no changes beyond branding. Microsoft has indicated that additional AI capabilities are planned for basic plans over time, with future updates intended to broaden access to Planner Agent functionality across more scenarios.

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