Microsoft to reduce reliance on OpenAI by shopping for AI from rival Anthropic

Microsoft pays to make use of Anthropic’s AI in Workplace 365 apps, The Information studies, citing two sources. The transfer signifies that Anthropic’s tech will assist energy new options in Phrase, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint alongside OpenAI’s, marking the tip of Microsoft’s earlier reliance solely on the ChatGPT maker for its productiveness suite. 

Microsoft’s transfer to diversify its AI partnerships comes amid a rising rift with OpenAI, which has pursued its personal infrastructure tasks in addition to a possible LinkedIn competitor.

Microsoft’s Anthropic deal additionally comes as the corporate negotiates a brand new take care of OpenAI to safe entry to its AI fashions after a pending for-profit restructuring. However The Info says the transfer isn’t a negotiating tactic. Leaders at Microsoft consider Anthropic’s newest fashions — Claude Sonnet 4, particularly — carry out higher than OpenAI’s in sure features, like creating aesthetically pleasing PowerPoint displays.

This isn’t the primary time Microsoft has branched out, although. Whereas OpenAI is the default mannequin, Microsoft provides different fashions like xAI’s Grok and Anthropic’s Claude via GitHub Copilot. Microsoft can also be making an attempt to set itself up for self-reliance. The corporate not too long ago launched its first two in-house fashions: MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview.

In the meantime, OpenAI is equally looking for to step out from underneath Microsoft’s affect. Final week, OpenAI launched a jobs platform to tackle Microsoft’s LinkedIn, and The Monetary Instances reported that OpenAI is about to start mass production on its first AI chips in partnership with Broadcom in 2026. Meaning it is going to be in a position to doubtlessly run coaching and inference on {hardware} it controls, reasonably than being depending on Microsoft’s Azure setup. 

“As we’ve mentioned, OpenAI will proceed to be our companion on frontier fashions and we stay dedicated to our long-term partnership,” Microsoft spokesperson Michael Collins advised TechCrunch.

TechCrunch has reached out to Anthropic for remark.

This text has been up to date with remark from Microsoft and extra context.