Microsoft 365 Copilot Researcher Gets Smarter with Source Scoping Controls

The Microsoft 365 Copilot Researcher agent is getting an upgrade. You'll be able to control which data sources it reasons over for your requests. This will start with Web/Work selection and standard Graph entities such as Emails, but extend to any connectors you have available in your tenant in the coming months. Rollout will start this month and finish next, with more information available in the Microsoft 365 message center at MC1134173.

With the new capabilities of the GPT-5 powered Copilot there is less of a gap between the way Copilot can reason over your content and that of Researcher. But this granular scoping may end up being one of the most significant differences.

It is becoming a little harder to remember which data sources you can scope where though, and in which ways. Between Copilot, agents, notebooks, and Researcher, we have different opportunities but also slightly different capabilities. This is why highlighting these updates as part of your adoption program is vital, alongside a clear message that these are options, not necessities, and everyone should focus on using Copilot's technology in the way that best fits with their needs.

First posted on Linkedin on 08/14/2025-> View Linkedin Post here