Microsoft plans to broaden the AI features in Office 365 by integrating Anthropic’s Claude alongside existing OpenAI models, according to The Information. The move would extend AI capabilities across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Sources familiar with the project say internal testing showed Claude Sonnet 4 performs certain Office tasks more effectively than OpenAI counterparts, particularly in visual design and spreadsheet automation. Microsoft emphasized the change is not a negotiation tactic.
Anthropic did not respond to a request for comment.
In a distinctive arrangement showing the AI industry’s tangled alliances, Microsoft will obtain access to Anthropic’s models through Amazon Web Services, a cloud rival and one of Anthropic’s largest investors. The integration is expected to be announced within weeks, with Office’s AI pricing remaining unchanged.
Microsoft also stressed that its relationship with OpenAI remains intact. “OpenAI will continue to be our partner on frontier models and we remain committed to our long-term partnership,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters following the report. Microsoft has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI and is negotiating terms for continued access to OpenAI models amid ongoing partnership discussions.
Historically, Microsoft’s close collaboration with OpenAI, dating back to 2019, gave it an early lead in AI-powered features across its software stack. A separate UK government study, however, did not find a clear productivity boost from using Copilot in daily work tasks.
