IntelligentHQ
IntelligentHQ
Skip to content

Govern AI agents

Keep an inventory of every agent, give each one an identity and an accountable human sponsor, limit what it can reach and watch what it does, using Microsoft Agent 365, Microsoft Entra Agent ID, Purview, Defender and Foundry Control Plane.

Try the Agent Platform Chooser

The problem

Agents are being built in many places at once: Agent Builder, Copilot Studio, Microsoft Foundry and third-party tools. Without a registry, nobody knows how many exist, who owns them, what data they reach or which ones were abandoned.

Agents act with their own permissions, so they need the same identity, data protection and threat monitoring as people, plus rules for who may build and share them.1

The approach

  • Inventory and control plane: Microsoft Agent 365, generally available for the commercial segment on a per-user basis since 1 May 2026, gives a central registry and agent map, governs through the Microsoft 365 admin center, Entra and Purview, and secures agents with Entra risk-based access, Purview data protection and Defender threat detection. Microsoft recommends Microsoft E5 as a prerequisite.
  • Identity: Microsoft Entra Agent ID is available to all Entra customers; extending Entra security features to agents requires Agent 365. Identity governance for agents (preview) requires a human sponsor for every agent identity and lets admins apply policies to a whole class of agents through blueprints.
  • Who can build and share: in the Microsoft 365 admin center, Agents settings control which publishers' agents are allowed, who can use agents, sharing for Agent Builder agents and rules such as reassigning or blocking ownerless agents.
  • Data: Purview captures prompts and responses in the audit log, applies DLP and sensitivity labels, and offers a risky AI usage policy template in Insider Risk Management.
  • Pro-code agents: Foundry Control Plane gives inventory, compliance, guardrail policies and the AI red teaming agent across Foundry and other agents, integrated with Defender, Purview and Entra. Advanced governance needs an AI gateway.
  • Low-code makers: Power Platform Managed Environments add sharing limits and data policies for Copilot Studio and Power Platform.

When a simpler route is enough: an organization with a handful of Agent Builder agents can start with the Microsoft 365 admin center agent settings and Purview audit before buying Agent 365.1234567

Conceptual architecture

Govern AI agents: conceptual architectureAgents & automationSecurity, identity &governanceAgent sources: Agent Builder, Copilot Studio, Foundry, third-party: Where agents are createdAgent sources: AgentBuilder, Copilot Studio,…Microsoft Agent 365 registry and agent map: Single inventory of agents and their relationshipsMicrosoft Agent 365 registryand agent mapMicrosoft 365 admin center Agents settings: Allowed publishers, user access, sharing and ownerless-agent rulesMicrosoft 365admin center…Microsoft Entra Agent ID and Conditional Access: Agent identities, sponsors and access policiesMicrosoftEntra Agent…Microsoft Purview: Audit, DLP, labels and insider risk for agent interactionsMicrosoftPurviewMicrosoft Defender: Threat detection and protection for agentsMicrosoftDefenderFoundry Control Plane: Inventory, guardrail policies and compliance for Foundry agentsFoundryControl PlanePower Platform Managed Environments: Sharing limits and data policies for makersPowerPlatform…
Diagram as a list

  1. Agents & automation

    • Agent sources: Agent Builder, Copilot Studio, Foundry, third-partyWhere agents are createdConnects to Microsoft Agent 365 registry and agent map
    • Microsoft Agent 365 registry and agent mapSingle inventory of agents and their relationships

  2. Security, identity & governance

    • Microsoft 365 admin center Agents settingsAllowed publishers, user access, sharing and ownerless-agent rulesConnects to Agent sources: Agent Builder, Copilot Studio, Foundry, third-party
    • Microsoft Entra Agent ID and Conditional AccessAgent identities, sponsors and access policies
    • Microsoft PurviewAudit, DLP, labels and insider risk for agent interactions
    • Microsoft DefenderThreat detection and protection for agents
    • Foundry Control PlaneInventory, guardrail policies and compliance for Foundry agents
    • Power Platform Managed EnvironmentsSharing limits and data policies for makersConnects to Agent sources: Agent Builder, Copilot Studio, Foundry, third-party
Conceptual: one common way to arrange the parts, not a required design.2

Technologies and their roles

  • Microsoft Agent 3652

    Agent control plane

    Registry, governance and security for agents built on Microsoft, open-source or third-party platforms.

  • Microsoft Entra3

    Agent identity

    Agent ID gives agents identities; governance features add sponsors and access packages.

  • Microsoft Purview5

    Data protection for AI

    Audit, DLP, labels and Insider Risk cover Copilot, agents and other AI apps.

  • Microsoft Defender XDR2

    Threat protection

    Provides continuous threat detection for agents within Agent 365.

  • Microsoft Foundry6

    Pro-code agent governance

    Foundry Control Plane manages inventory, guardrails and compliance for agents, models and tools.

What you need first36

  • At least one user with a qualifying Agent 365 license (included in Microsoft 365 E7, add-on to E5, A5 or Business Premium)
  • A named human sponsor for each agent
  • Agent settings agreed in the Microsoft 365 admin center: allowed publishers, users and sharing
  • Purview audit enabled and retention decided for AI interactions
  • For Foundry Control Plane advanced features: an AI gateway and RBAC permissions

Risks and how to reduce them

Shadow agents nobody owns1
Use the Agent 365 registry and admin center rules that reassign or block ownerless agents.
Agents keep broad access after their purpose ends4
Require sponsors, use access packages and review agent access like user access.
Sensitive data leaks through agent responses5
Apply Purview DLP and sensitivity labels and review audit logs of prompts and responses.
Preview governance features relied on for compliance8
Identity governance and Conditional Access for agents are in preview; document compensating controls.

Related

Sources

  1. Agent settings in Microsoft 365 admin center (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  2. Microsoft Agent 365 overview (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  3. What is Microsoft Entra Agent ID? (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  4. Microsoft Entra ID Governance (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  5. Microsoft Purview data security and compliance protections for Microsoft 365 Copilot and other generative AI apps (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  6. What is Microsoft Foundry Control Plane? (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  7. Managed Environments overview (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported
  8. Microsoft Entra Conditional Access: Zero Trust policy engine (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Vendor-reported

Fill out the form below to request your copy.

Name(Required)