Glossary

Work IQ

What it is

Microsoft's workplace intelligence layer that gives Copilot and agents an understanding of an organisation's Microsoft 365 content, people and activity. The Work IQ API (generally available 16 June 2026) lets custom and third-party agents use it via REST, MCP or agent-to-agent (A2A) protocols.

Included (no extra charge)

Work IQ used inside Copilot Chat, Copilot in the Microsoft 365 apps, built-in agents such as Researcher, Analyst and Facilitator; inside Cowork and Autopilot the cost is part of the task credits.

Charged in Copilot Credits

Custom agents built in Copilot Studio or Microsoft Foundry, or third-party agents, that call the Work IQ API. This applies even to users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence. There is no separate Work IQ SKU or per-user licence.

How it's priced

Tools (actions such as fetching mail or creating events) 0.1 Copilot Credits per call; Chat and Context (answers and grounding) vary by scenario — Microsoft's illustrative planning ranges are Light $0.20–$0.40, Medium $0.30–$0.75, Heavy $0.50–$1.50 per call.

Things to know

A usage-based billing plan must be set up and users assigned before the API can be used; it runs only on behalf of signed-in users (no unattended/app-only mode); check licence requirements for the specific tools an agent calls.

Microsoft Work IQ licensing and Microsoft Learn, verified 1 Oct 2026.