AI Agents That Do Real Work for Your Team
AI agents do more than answer questions. They read documents, look up records, update systems and complete multi step tasks on behalf of your team. Microknot designs and builds secure AI agents on Microsoft Azure OpenAI and Copilot Studio, connected to the business systems and data your organisation already relies on.
We focus on agents that solve real operational problems, are safe to run in a business environment, and deliver measurable time and cost savings. Agents are one part of our wider AI software development services. For rules based workflows that do not need an agent, see our AI automation services.
What an AI agent can do for your business
- Customer service agents that answer enquiries using your policies, product data and order history, and hand over to staff when needed
- Internal knowledge agents that let staff search procedures, contracts and technical documents in plain English
- Document processing agents that read invoices, applications, claims and forms, extract the data and enter it into your systems
- Sales and CRM agents that qualify leads, summarise accounts and draft follow ups in Dynamics 365, HubSpot or Salesforce
- Operations agents that monitor stock, orders, bookings or compliance tasks and act when something needs attention
- Reporting agents that answer business questions from your data and produce summaries for managers
Agents work best on clean, well organised data. If your data needs attention first, our Microsoft Fabric consulting team can help.
Our AI agent development services
Azure OpenAI solutions
Custom AI applications and agents built on Azure OpenAI Service, using GPT models within your own Microsoft cloud environment. Data can be hosted in Australian Azure regions to support privacy and data residency requirements.
Microsoft Copilot Studio and Copilot extensions
Custom copilots and agents for Microsoft 365, Teams and SharePoint, extended with connectors to your line of business systems so staff can act on data without leaving the tools they already use.
Retrieval augmented generation (RAG)
AI that answers from your own documents and data, not the open internet, with references back to the source so answers can be checked.
System integration
Agents connected securely to ERP, CRM, finance, ecommerce and custom applications through APIs, so they can look up and update records with the right permissions.
AI governance and security
Role based access, audit logs, content filtering, human approval steps and testing for accuracy before anything reaches customers or staff.
AI strategy and proof of concept
A short engagement to identify the highest value use cases, test feasibility with your real data, and build a working proof of concept before you commit to a full rollout.
How we build AI agents
1. Use case workshop
We identify where AI will save the most time or improve outcomes, and define how success will be measured.
2. Data and systems review
We assess the data, documents and systems the agent needs, including security and privacy considerations.
3. Proof of concept
A working prototype tested with your real data and real users, typically within four to six weeks.
4. Production build
Integration, security controls, monitoring and user interface built for scale and reliability.
5. Launch and training
Staged rollout with staff training and clear guidance on how the agent should be used.
6. Monitor and improve
Ongoing evaluation of accuracy, cost and usage, with regular improvements as your needs change.
Why Microknot for AI agent development
Software engineers first
An AI agent is only as good as the software around it. Our team has decades of experience building business systems, integrations and secure cloud platforms, which is where most AI projects succeed or fail.
Microsoft specialists
Our core platforms are .NET, Azure and the Microsoft data stack, so AI agents fit cleanly into organisations that already run on Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Azure.
Security and privacy built in
We design for the Australian Privacy Principles and your internal policies from the start, with clear controls over what data the agent can see and what actions it can take.
Practical outcomes
We start with a focused use case that shows value quickly, then expand once the results are proven.
Book a free Project Discovery Session
Tell us what you are trying to achieve. In one hour, our Sydney team will recommend an approach and give you an honest view of time and budget.
Our Clients
We work with a variety of businesses from all different industries, fostering
long term relationships and instilling trust and reliability.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI agent?
An AI agent is software that uses a large language model to understand a request, decide on the steps needed and complete them using connected tools and data. Unlike a basic chatbot, an agent can look up records, update systems and carry out multi step tasks.
Is our data safe when using Azure OpenAI?
Azure OpenAI runs inside the Microsoft Azure cloud under your organisation’s security controls. Microsoft states that customer data is not used to train its models. Solutions can be deployed in Australian Azure regions to support data residency requirements.
What is the difference between Microsoft Copilot and a custom AI agent?
Microsoft 365 Copilot works across your Microsoft documents, email and meetings. A custom AI agent is built for a specific business process and can connect to systems outside Microsoft 365, such as your ERP, CRM or a custom application. Many organisations use both.
How long does it take to build an AI agent?
A proof of concept usually takes four to six weeks. A production ready agent integrated with business systems typically takes two to four months, depending on scope and integrations.
How much does AI agent development cost?
A proof of concept typically starts from around $50,000. Production agents integrated with core business systems are scoped individually after discovery. Ongoing model usage costs are usually modest and are estimated upfront.
Find out where AI can make the biggest difference
Book a free AI consultation with our team. We will discuss your processes, identify practical use cases and outline what a proof of concept would involve.
Book an AI consultation below or call 02 8974 1407
