Microsoft adds Anthropic’s Claude AI models to Copilot
Microsoft is deepening its ties with OpenAI’s chief rival, Anthropic, by weaving the company’s Claude models directly into its Copilot platform. Beginning Wednesday, Copilot business users will have the option to tap into Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.1 and Claude Sonnet 4, expanding a tool that has until now leaned almost entirely on OpenAI’s technology.
The move underscores a gradual shift in Microsoft’s AI strategy, as the company moves away from exclusive reliance on its long-time partner OpenAI. Just weeks earlier, Microsoft announced that Claude models would also be available inside Office 365 applications like Word, Excel, and Outlook—another sign that the software giant is seeking a more diverse AI portfolio.
With the update, Copilot customers can now choose between OpenAI’s reasoning-heavy models and Anthropic’s latest Claude offerings. Claude Opus 4.1 is tailored for advanced problem-solving, software development, and complex systems planning, while Claude Sonnet 4 is optimized for day-to-day development, large-scale data handling, and high-quality content generation.
Microsoft says the dual-model approach is designed to give enterprises more flexibility when deploying AI. Business users will be able to match the right model to specific tasks—whether that’s drafting long reports, running large datasets, or constructing custom enterprise-grade agents.
By integrating Anthropic’s technology, Microsoft is signaling both confidence in the Claude family of models and a strategic move to lessen its dependence on OpenAI. The partnership could reshape how Copilot evolves as competition in enterprise AI continues to heat up.
