ToolsApril 16, 2026via The Information
LinkedIn’s AI Agent Product Becomes a Surprise Bright Spot for Microsoft
Why it matters
Microsoft's enterprise AI monetization strategy is bifurcating: flagship Copilot adoption stalling while a subsidiary's niche AI product outperforms. This signals that verticalized, use-case-specific AI agents may unlock B2B willingness-to-pay where horizontal AI assistants haven't.
Key signals
- Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption: ~3% of Office 365 users as of end of 2025
- LinkedIn AI agent product launched fall 2025
- Product described as 'surprise hit' gaining internal attention across Microsoft leadership
- Indicates divergence between horizontal (Copilot) and vertical (LinkedIn) AI product-market fit
The hook
3% adoption on Copilot. Meanwhile, LinkedIn's AI agent is becoming Microsoft's surprise hit.
Microsoft has so far seen mixed results in its efforts to sell AI-powered products to businesses, with only around 3% of its Office 365 users paying to use 365 Copilot as of the end of last year.
But a seemingly niche AI product released last fall by its subsidiary LinkedIn has taken off as a surpr…