Microsoft announces AI agents and templates for retail scenarios

Microsoft will be launching more retail-focused AI agents and services covering merchandising, marketing, store operations, and fulfillment. The announcements come ahead of next week’s NRF 2026, the annual flagship event of the National Retail Federation.

The latest round of templates and tools focus on the buyer experiences and retail operations and rely on both Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Studio.

Microsoft believes Copilot can further accelerate checkouts. Copilot Checkout “turns conversations into conversations – instantly,” Microsoft claims. It is available now in the US via Copilot.com. 

Shopify, PayPal, and Stripe have enabled Copilot Checkout, and Etsy will be bringing its inventory to the service. Shopify will auto-enroll merchants after an opt-out period, and merchants using PayPal or Stripe can apply to be on-boarded.

“With one integration, we open the door for our sellers to show up across new surfaces without extra work. It’s a straightforward way to connect their creativity to high-intent buyers — and to keep commerce human as shopping evolves.” said Rafe Colburn, Etsy Chief Product and Technology Officer

Microsoft has also announced two shopping agent capabilities: Brand Agents and a personalized shopping agent template in Copilot Studio.

Here’s how Microsoft describes Brand Agents: