Microsoft Eyes Getting Paid for Any AI Agents on the Payroll

Thursday, March 05, 2026

Redmond wants a monthly cut from every digital worker on your payroll. Agents don't need dental, they will need a SKU

Posted by LampLighter at 12:31 PM | 6 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

Microsoft reportedly eyes E7 tier to make AI agents pay their way - like the humans they'll replace

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-- The Register (@theregister.com) Mar 3, 2026 at 7:45 AM

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More from the article ...

... Microsoft is reportedly planning to license AI agents like employees -- and charge accordingly.

The megacorp is considering a new Microsoft 365 subscription tier, informally dubbed E7, that would bundle Copilot and agent management tools as enterprises begin deploying AI agents alongside human staff.

According to Mary Jo Foley analyst at Directions on Microsoft, the proposed E7 plan would include Microsoft 365 Copilot and Agent 365 -- a preview service designed to manage and govern AI agents across enterprise environments -- along components not currently incorporated in the Microsoft 365 E5 tier.

As AI agents function as digital workers, they need identities, email accounts, Teams access, and policy controls -- capabilities currently tied to user subscriptions.

Microsoft 365 E5 plus Copilot already covers most of this, but E7 would package those elements into a single SKU. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-03-04 03:39 AM | Reply

Outright having to ask an AI boss for time off. That is probably already here.

#2 | Posted by censored at 2026-03-05 01:04 PM | Reply

Outright having to ask an AI boss for time off. That is probably already here.

#2 | Posted by censored

"I'm sorry, Dave, but I can't give you that time off" (2026: An AI Odyssey)

#3 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-03-05 01:31 PM | Reply | Funny: 2 | Newsworthy 1

When much of the human world is no longer earning a living, who will be left to consume in a capitalist economy?

#4 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2026-03-05 04:32 PM | Reply

Did anyone think it would happen any other way?

I figured they would have acted like every other subscription service rip off - get their s*&^ty AIs integrated into too many systems to reasonably pull away from then start adding tiers of service once users were trapped.

It's looking more and more like Silicon Valley is simply trying to suck the entire globe dry of wealth by forcing their s*&^ on everyone whether we like it or not.

#5 | Posted by jpw at 2026-03-05 04:50 PM | Reply

"It's looking more and more like Silicon Valley is simply trying to suck the entire globe dry of wealth by forcing their s*&^ on everyone whether we like it or not."

I think you hit the nail on the head. The guillotines are getting sharpened as I type to whack off those Silly Con Valley nerd's heads off least they keep doing what they intend.

#6 | Posted by Wildman62 at 2026-03-06 11:56 AM | Reply