Microsoft Diversifies Office 365 AI with Anthropic Integration
- tech360.tv
- Sep 10, 2025
- 2 min read
Microsoft will integrate Anthropic's technology for some artificial intelligence features within its Office 365 applications, signalling a diversification of its AI portfolio. This development blends Anthropic and OpenAI technology into apps such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
For years, Microsoft primarily relied on OpenAI for the new AI features incorporated into these applications. The software firm also develops its own artificial intelligence models while integrating DeepSeek's models into the Azure cloud.
This strategy aims to maximise AI output, meeting a growing demand for advanced capabilities. Microsoft has been OpenAI's largest financial backer, having invested more than USD 13 billion into the AI startup, which provided an early advantage in the AI race.
A Microsoft spokesperson affirmed the ongoing partnership, stating, "As we've said, OpenAI will continue to be our partner on frontier models, and we remain committed to our long-term partnership."
Developers working on Office AI features found Anthropic's latest models performed more effectively than OpenAI's for automating specific tasks. These include financial functions in Excel and generating PowerPoint presentations based on user instructions.
The report also noted that while OpenAI's GPT-5 marks a quality improvement, Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 4 excels in creating more aesthetically pleasing PowerPoint presentations. Microsoft will pay its cloud competitor, Amazon Web Services (AWS), to access the Anthropic models.
AWS is recognised as one of Anthropic's largest shareholders. Microsoft intends to announce this integration in the coming weeks, confirming that the pricing of AI tools within Office will remain unchanged.
Microsoft will integrate Anthropic AI technology into Office 365 applications.
This move diversifies Microsoft's AI portfolio beyond its primary reliance on OpenAI.
Developers found Anthropic's models performed better for specific tasks like Excel functions and PowerPoint generation.
Source: REUTERS
