Microsoft has made its Browser Automation Tool generally available in Foundry. The tool gives AI agents a managed browser to navigate websites, inspect pages, complete forms and carry out tasks that span multiple pages using natural-language instructions.
Microsoft says the tool works with Foundry Prompt agents and Hosted agents. An agent inspects a page, chooses a browser action and checks the result before continuing. Playwright Workspaces supplies isolated cloud browser sessions, so developers do not need to install a browser in the agent environment. A Playwright Workspace must be provisioned separately as an Azure resource.
Agents can reach private applications
The tool can work with public websites and applications behind an Azure virtual network, according to Microsoft. A private network connection must be added when the Playwright Workspace is provisioned. Microsoft says teams can use Microsoft Entra identities and Azure role-based access control to limit agent access.
Developers can add the browser tool to a reusable Foundry toolbox and connect that toolbox to Prompt or Hosted agents through an MCP-compatible endpoint. They can enable page inspection first, then add actions such as clicking, typing, form filling and file upload when needed.
People can watch and take control
Live View lets developers and operators watch an active browser session. Take control lets a person temporarily operate the browser to handle an unexpected page state or a supervised step, then return control to the agent. Microsoft also says organizations can require approval before sensitive or state-changing actions and limit which browser tools an agent can use.
Microsoft cautions developers to treat website content as untrusted input. It also says Foundry traces may contain sensitive prompts, responses, instructions and tool data. Its documented workflow for restricting access to sensitive generative AI content in traces is currently in preview.
To start using the generally available browser tool, developers can create or select a Playwright Workspace, connect the tool to a Foundry toolbox and add that toolbox to an agent.
