AI agents also have to pay: Microsoft plans a new subscription tier for M365
When AI agents replace human employees, what happens to software licenses? Microsoft is reportedly bundling a suitable package for M365.
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According to reports, Microsoft wants to introduce a new subscription tier for M365 for the enterprise use of AI agents. Under the internal working title E7, this offer is said to include agent-based AI and the necessary management tools, as Business Insider and Directions on Microsoft write, citing informed sources.
Microsoft has so far sold its enterprise variants of M365 in packages marked with “E”, to which add-ons can be booked. According to reports, the new package is said to include, among other things, Copilot, Entra ID functions for digital identities, and the agent management Agent 365, presented at Ignite 2025, which has so far only been available in the “Frontier” preview.
Virtual employees also need licenses
According to Directions on Microsoft, the idea behind it is not simply a new subscription package. As AI agents spread within companies, they also need accounts for email, OneDrive, Teams, and their own Entra IDs. In Microsoft's vision, they should therefore have their licenses, similar to human employees. The new tariff could bundle what is needed in terms of licenses and for identity management and governance of agent-based AI.
Business Insider expects a price of $99 per month per user for the new subscription tier. This would be above the highest tier E5 (currently still $57 per month per user) plus the Copilot Enterprise subscription ($30 per month per user). According to Directions on Microsoft, Microsoft is also considering hybrid pricing models that combine user- and usage-based pricing. Microsoft has not yet commented on the reports; a response to an inquiry from the iX editorial team is still pending.
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At the end of last year, Microsoft announced a price increase for all commercial M365 subscriptions, which will take effect on July 1, 2026. The list prices will be increased by almost 9 to 25 percent, depending on the product variant. Among other things, the prices for the enterprise variants M365 E3 will increase from $23 to $26, and M365 E5 from $57 to $60. Microsoft justified the price increases with new features in the areas of AI, security, and management.
(axk)
