Microsoft Invests in Anthropic to Reduce OpenAI Dependence
Microsoft Integrates Anthropic AI into Office 365
According to a report by The Information, referencing two informed sources, Microsoft is set to incorporate Anthropic’s artificial intelligence capabilities into its Office 365 applications.
This strategic decision signifies that Anthropic’s technology will contribute to the development of new functionalities within Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
The integration will occur alongside OpenAI’s technologies, effectively ending Microsoft’s previous exclusive reliance on the creators of ChatGPT for its productivity software suite.
Growing Independence from OpenAI
Microsoft’s decision to broaden its AI partnerships is occurring against a backdrop of increasing divergence with OpenAI.
OpenAI has been actively pursuing independent infrastructure projects and is also developing a potential competitor to LinkedIn.
The agreement with Anthropic also coincides with Microsoft’s ongoing negotiations with OpenAI to ensure continued access to its AI models following a planned transition to a for-profit structure.
Claude Sonnet 4 Performance
However, The Information clarifies that this move isn’t merely a negotiating tactic.
Microsoft leadership believes that Anthropic’s most recent models, particularly Claude Sonnet 4, demonstrate superior performance compared to OpenAI’s offerings in specific areas.
Notably, Claude Sonnet 4 excels in tasks such as generating visually appealing PowerPoint presentations.
Diversification of AI Models
This isn’t the first instance of Microsoft diversifying its AI resources.
While OpenAI remains the default model, Microsoft already provides access to alternative models like xAI’s Grok and Anthropic’s Claude through its GitHub Copilot platform.
Furthermore, Microsoft is actively working towards greater self-sufficiency in AI development.
The company has recently unveiled its initial two internally developed models: MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview.
OpenAI's Pursuit of Independence
Concurrently, OpenAI is also striving for increased independence from Microsoft’s influence.
Last week, OpenAI launched a job platform designed to compete with Microsoft’s LinkedIn.
The Financial Times reported that OpenAI is preparing to initiate mass production of its own AI chips in collaboration with Broadcom, slated for 2026.
This development would allow OpenAI to potentially manage both training and inference processes on its own hardware, reducing its dependence on Microsoft’s Azure infrastructure.
Official Statements
Michael Collins, a spokesperson for Microsoft, stated to TechCrunch: “As we’ve said, OpenAI will continue to be our partner on frontier models and we remain committed to our long-term partnership.”
TechCrunch has contacted Anthropic for a statement.
This article has been updated to include comments from Microsoft and additional background information.
