Microsoft’s ambitious push into artificial intelligence has hit another bump in the road. A recently discovered bug in the enterprise version of Microsoft Copilot has raised concerns after the AI tool was found accessing private user emails it was not authorized to process.

According to a report by Bleeping Computer, the issue stemmed from Copilot’s email summarisation feature. The tool, designed to help enterprise users quickly review communications, reportedly began pulling content from email folders such as Sent Items and Drafts — areas that were never meant to be included in its scope. In effect, the AI bypassed certain organizational security boundaries, triggering alarm bells across affected companies.

Microsoft acknowledged the flaw and acted quickly to address it. The company confirmed that it had begun rolling out a fix earlier this month. However, it has not disclosed how many organizations were impacted or whether any sensitive data was exposed during the period the bug was active. This lack of transparency has left some enterprise customers uneasy.

The incident adds to growing concerns around how rapidly AI tools are being deployed in corporate environments. While businesses are eager to leverage AI for productivity gains, privacy and compliance safeguards remain paramount — especially when tools are integrated into sensitive systems like email servers. Even a minor configuration flaw can lead to unintended data exposure.

For Microsoft, the timing is less than ideal. The company has invested heavily in AI integration across its ecosystem, embedding Copilot features into Windows 11 PCs, enterprise software, and cloud services. However, adoption has not been as smooth as anticipated. Reports suggest that AI-focused Windows 11 devices have struggled to generate the expected excitement among buyers. In response, Microsoft is said to be recalibrating its messaging, shifting focus from AI-centric marketing to overall performance improvements.

The broader AI landscape has also been marked by turbulence. Concerns around prompt injection attacks and autonomous AI agents handling financial or personal data have made enterprises cautious. Tech giants like Google have encountered their own AI missteps, while Apple’s comparatively slower and more measured AI rollout now appears less disadvantageous.

The Copilot incident underscores a recurring challenge: innovation versus security. AI tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini are increasingly integrated into daily workflows, often with deep access to emails, documents, and cloud storage. While these integrations promise efficiency and automation, they also heighten the risk if safeguards fail.

Cybersecurity experts argue that AI deployments must undergo rigorous testing and clearance checks before enterprise-wide implementation. As organisations rely more heavily on AI assistants to handle internal communications and potentially sensitive financial or operational data, trust becomes a critical currency.

Microsoft’s swift technical response may contain the immediate fallout, but the episode serves as a reminder that AI innovation cannot outpace privacy protection. In the race to build smarter digital assistants, companies must ensure that user data remains firmly protected — not inadvertently exposed.