IPT positions Microsoft Copilot as a team of task-ready AI agents for real business outcomes

IPT, a managed IT services and cybersecurity provider, today announced a practical approach to Microsoft Copilot that helps South African businesses deploy AI as a set of specialised agents that perform defined work across various industries. Rather than treating AI as a single chatbot, IPT utilises Copilot and Copilot Studio to configure role-based agents that act on company data, leveraging existing permissions and governance.

“AI is not just a tool. It is a digital team member,” says Dillon Gray, COO at IPT. “We help clients stand up agents with clear job descriptions, access to the right data, and measurable outcomes. That is how you move from novelty to value.”

What agentic AI means for business

Agentic AI refers to systems that understand tasks, access relevant sources, make decisions within established policies, and learn from feedback.

In practice, this looks like an Executive Assistant agent that drafts replies, prepares agendas, and summarises Teams meetings; a Financial Analyst agent that monitors cash flow and produces board-ready summaries; a Sales Strategist agent that suggests next-best actions from CRM notes; a Marketing agent that reviews campaign performance and drafts posts; an HR partner that flags retention risks; and an Operations agent that maps workflows and surfaces bottlenecks.

How IPT builds Copilot agents

With Copilot Studio, IPT configures agents that live where people work, including Microsoft Teams. Agents can securely connect to SharePoint for reference materials such as meeting minutes, query calendars for context, and, where appropriate, use web search. Scope can be tightly controlled. For instance, an agent can be limited to a specific system, such as an AWS workload, or broadened to include approved external sources. Licensing remains per user per company, and access is governed by the client’s Microsoft 365 tenant and existing permissions.

“Clients often think Copilot is just ‘Microsoft chat’ or the same as ChatGPT,” says Gray. “The difference is that Copilot agents operate against your data, in your tenant, under your policies. They collaborate across Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams, and they can be orchestrated to support a business process end-to-end.”

Why this matters for CEOs

• Scales expertise: agents deliver analyst-level support at a fraction of the cost of manual effort.
• Reduces cognitive load: they handle email, data, and reports so leaders can focus on decisions.
• Improves speed and accuracy: agents work in near real time on live data with auditability.
• Drives innovation: with routine tasks handled, teams focus on higher-value work.

Adoption without the headaches

IPT deploys in phases: identify high-impact roles, define agent tasks, configure Copilot, train users to “prompt the agent” in natural language, and monitor results for continuous improvement. Security and compliance are built in through Microsoft’s cloud controls and the client’s identity and access policies.

The challenge for business leaders is how to deploy AI safely, securely, and with measurable outcomes. At IPT, we bridge the gap between Microsoft Copilot’s technology and the day-to-day realities of running a business.

“Our goal is simple: help South African organisations turn AI from an abstract concept into a dependable part of their workforce,” says Gray.

Whether you want a single HR agent or an enterprise-wide set of digital specialists, IPT can help you design, deploy and support Copilot responsibly. Let us build your AI team together. Visit ipt.za.com to get started.

About IPT

IPT is a leading managed IT services and cybersecurity provider with over 20 years of experience in South Africa. The organisation specialises in IT infrastructure, cloud solutions, and cybersecurity.

With branches in Centurion, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, and Kimberley, IPT has a nationwide footprint to help businesses of all sizes navigate their digital transformation journey, ensuring secure and reliable operations.

IPT has built up an enviable reputation for fostering long-term client relationships as it delivers customised solutions across industry sectors. The business is committed to using advanced technology and a customer-centric approach to innovate and drive business growth.

It works in several specialist areas that include cybersecurity, outsourced IT services, Microsoft Cloud, service management, and IT infrastructure.

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