Microsoft Diversifies AI Assistant with Anthropic Models, Reduces Dependence on OpenAI

Microsoft is expanding its AI assistant, Copilot, by adding Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1 models. Users can now toggle between OpenAI and Anthropic models in Copilot's reasoning tool and custom agent building. This move aims to diversify Microsoft's dependence on OpenAI and support models from other industry partners, including Meta and DeepSeek.

Microsoft has taken a significant step in diversifying its AI capabilities by adding Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1 models to its AI assistant, Copilot. This move aims to reduce dependency on OpenAI and incorporate models from other industry partners, such as Meta and DeepSeek.

The expansion allows users to toggle between OpenAI and Anthropic models in Copilot’s reasoning tool and custom agent building. This flexibility enhances the platform's versatility and empowers users to choose the model that best suits their needs. Users can now build, orchestrate, and manage agents using Anthropic models for reasoning, workflow automation, and other agentic tasks.

Microsoft has been a major backer of OpenAI, investing over $13 billion since 2019. However, recent developments indicate a shift in strategy. OpenAI recently announced that its nonprofit arm will now be paired with an equity stake in its Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), with a valuation expected to exceed $100 billion. Additionally, OpenAI has reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft to convert its for-profit arm into a PBC Microsoft Adds Anthropic Claude Models to 365 Copilot, Moving Beyond OpenAI^[1].

The addition of Anthropic models comes as part of Microsoft’s broader initiative to be less dependent on OpenAI. The company has also begun testing its in-house model, MAI-1-preview, and is expanding its cloud partnerships to include Oracle, Google, and others, breaking away from sole Azure reliance.

This move underscores Microsoft’s commitment to delivering model innovation at speed and empowering every person with Microsoft 365 Copilot. By incorporating models from multiple providers, Microsoft aims to transform business processes with agents and support a more robust and resilient AI ecosystem.