My Inbox Was Out of Control. So I Built an AI Agent to Fix It.

How to Create an Autonomous AI Agent for Outlook

Introduction to the AI Agent

• The speaker introduces a method to transform an Outlook inbox using an autonomous AI agent built in Microsoft Copilot Studio, which organizes emails and notifies users of urgent messages.

• Shervin Shaffy, a principal engineer at Microsoft, presents the tutorial on creating this email-sorting agent.

Setting Up the Agent

• Users are instructed to access Copilot Studio via a web browser at copilotstudio.preview.microsoft.com to begin building their agent.

• The first step involves naming the agent (e.g., "email genie") and providing a description that outlines its function: monitoring and organizing emails based on rules.

Configuring Triggers and Instructions

• The speaker explains selecting the appropriate GPT model from OpenAI (e.g., GPT5 auto), emphasizing customization based on IT admin permissions.

• A trigger is set up for when new emails arrive (V3), with instructions provided for adding this trigger if it’s not already available in the user’s setup.

Customizing Instructions for Email Management

• Detailed instructions are shared for configuring how the agent should operate, encouraging users to modify them according to personal or organizational needs.

• The importance of autonomy is highlighted; the agent should execute tasks without needing user input unless there’s an error or question.

Reporting and Communication Features

• Users can receive summary reports after each run, detailing actions taken by the agent and any errors encountered. This includes sending notifications through Microsoft Teams.

• If a chat named "email Genie playbyplay" exists, it will be used for updates; otherwise, it will create one. This feature allows tracking of previous interactions with the agent.

Tools Utilized by the Agent

• Two main tools are mentioned: Microsoft Teams MCP tool for communication and Move Email V2 for sorting emails. These tools enhance functionality within Copilot Studio.

Operational Steps of the Agent

• The operational flow begins with monitoring incoming emails through triggers followed by classification based on predefined categories such as customer emails or internal communications.

• Categories can be customized further; examples include distinguishing between leadership communications versus general company news.

This structured approach provides clarity on setting up an autonomous email management system using Microsoft's tools while allowing flexibility in customization based on individual requirements.

Email Organization and Management Process

Creating Folders for Emails

• It is essential to create folders for emails; otherwise, they will remain in the inbox indefinitely. Future updates may include an action to automate folder creation.

Classifying Customer Emails

• Each customer should have a dedicated subfolder for their emails, which can originate from both internal team communications and external customer inquiries.

Handling Internal Communications

• Internal emails unrelated to customers should be categorized as either informational or leadership-related. Informational emails can be stored in a designated folder, while leadership emails are considered urgent and require immediate attention.

Notification System for Urgent Emails

• The system notifies users of urgent emails or those from leadership. An action is set up to send a summary of any urgent email via Microsoft Teams using the MCP tool.

Tools Utilized in Email Management

• The tools referenced include Microsoft Teams MCP and Move Email v2. Users need to add these tools by searching within the platform.

Testing Email Movement Functionality

• A demonstration involves sending various types of emails, including junk and legitimate customer inquiries, to test the movement functionality into appropriate folders.

Observations on Email Sorting

• Junk emails are correctly identified and moved into an "everything else" folder, while relevant customer inquiries (e.g., from Petco) are successfully sorted into their respective folders.

Conclusion on Sorting Effectiveness

• The sorting mechanism appears effective as it accurately categorizes incoming emails based on existing folders, with non-customer related communications remaining unfiled.