Last update: 7 October 2026
Artificial intelligence is moving fast, and many businesses are finding themselves with multiple AI tools across the organisation. Some employees prefer Claude, others use ChatGPT, and many are now exploring Microsoft Copilot.
As AI adoption matures, the challenge is no longer choosing the smartest chatbot. It’s deciding how AI should fit into your business. Microsoft’s latest approach to Copilot suggests organisations may not need to choose between platforms quite so rigidly. Instead, they could gain access to multiple AI models through the Microsoft 365 environment they already use.
For businesses already running on Microsoft 365, that has the potential to change how AI is deployed, governed and adopted across the organisation.
If Your Team Likes Claude, Do You Still Need a Separate AI Platform?
Many businesses have reached the same stage in their AI journey. One employee uses Claude. Another prefers ChatGPT. Someone else has started experimenting with Microsoft Copilot.
The question quickly becomes: How many AI platforms does a business actually need?
Microsoft’s latest direction suggests the answer could be fewer than you think.
Rather than relying on a single AI model, Microsoft Copilot is evolving into a broader AI platform that can bring together multiple AI models, Microsoft 365 data, business applications and AI agents within a single environment.
For businesses already using Microsoft 365, that’s an important shift.
Can You Use Claude in Microsoft Copilot?
Yes, in selected Microsoft Copilot experiences.
Microsoft has expanded support for Anthropic’s Claude models across areas including Researcher, Copilot Studio and supported Microsoft 365 applications, with availability depending on licensing, regional rollout and administrator settings.
This means organisations may be able to access Claude-powered experiences without employees constantly switching between separate AI tools.
Instead of asking which AI platform should I use?, teams can focus on how do I get this work done?.
Why This Matters for Businesses
Standalone AI tools can be powerful, but they often require users to move information between systems manually.
Documents need uploading. Context needs explaining. Outputs need copying back into the tools where work actually happens.
When AI is embedded inside the Microsoft environment your business already uses, that process becomes simpler.
Whether you’re:
- Writing proposals
- Analysing spreadsheets
- Researching opportunities
- Creating presentations
- Automating workflows
the goal is the same: reduce friction and improve productivity.
The real value isn’t necessarily which model sits behind the screen. It’s whether AI can access the tools, information and processes people already use every day.
Why Copilot Is More Than a Chatbot
Many businesses evaluate AI as a comparison between platforms:
Copilot vs Claude
Claude vs ChatGPT
ChatGPT vs Gemini
But increasingly, that’s becoming the wrong conversation. Microsoft Copilot is growing beyond a chatbot into a business AI platform that can combine:
- Multiple AI models
- Microsoft 365 applications
- Business data and knowledge
- AI agents
- Workflow automation
That means your long-term AI strategy doesn’t have to depend on a single model remaining the industry leader forever.
As AI continues to evolve, businesses can benefit from model choice without constantly rebuilding their approach every time a new tool appears.
What About Security and Business Data?
This is where businesses need to look beyond AI capabilities and think about governance.
Copilot operates within Microsoft’s existing security, permissions and compliance framework. Access to content depends on user permissions, configuration and the specific Copilot experience being used.
For organisations considering Anthropic-powered experiences, it’s also important to review Microsoft’s latest guidance around availability, compliance requirements and regional data-processing considerations.
The goal should never be simply giving AI access to information. The goal should be enabling AI to work with the right information, securely and appropriately.
AI Agents Make the Difference
One of the most exciting developments is Microsoft’s investment in AI agents.
Using Copilot Studio, organisations can create agents that help with:
- Internal support requests
- Company knowledge
- Customer service processes
- HR information
- Repetitive administrative tasks
And because Microsoft is adopting a multi-model approach, organisations can have greater flexibility when deciding how those agents are built and used.
For SMEs, that opens up opportunities that were previously only accessible to much larger organisations.
So, Is Copilot Better Than Claude?
Not necessarily. They solve different problems.
Claude remains a highly capable standalone AI platform. Microsoft Copilot is increasingly becoming the environment where businesses can combine AI models, organisational knowledge, applications and automation into a more connected experience.
If your organisation already relies on Microsoft 365, the better question may be: How can AI work more effectively inside our existing business environment?
The Bigger Opportunity for SMEs
The first phase of AI adoption was experimentation. The next phase is integration.
Businesses now need to think about:
- Governance
- Security
- User adoption
- Workflow automation
- Long-term scalability
The organisations that gain the most value from AI are unlikely to be the ones using the latest model for a few weeks. They will be the organisations that successfully integrate AI into the way their people already work.
And that’s where Microsoft’s multi-model approach to Copilot becomes particularly interesting.
Note: Microsoft continues to expand AI model availability across Copilot. Features, supported models, licensing requirements and regional availability may change over time. Always refer to Microsoft’s latest documentation for current information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft Copilot use Claude?
Microsoft Copilot can use Anthropic Claude models in selected experiences where model support is available and enabled by administrators. OpenAI and other models may also be used depending on the Copilot experience, feature and configuration. Supported Claude experiences currently include areas such as Researcher, Copilot Studio and certain Microsoft 365 application experiences. Read more about the models that power Microsoft 365 here.
Can I use Claude in Microsoft Word and Excel?
Microsoft supports Anthropic models in selected Copilot experiences within Word, Excel and PowerPoint, subject to administrator settings, licensing, geography and Microsoft’s current rollout and availability requirements. Read more about Copilot in Microsoft 364 with Anthropic models here.
Can Microsoft Copilot choose different AI models?
In supported experiences, yes.
Microsoft has introduced model selection and Auto mode features that can route requests to appropriate models depending on the task being performed. Available models vary depending on the specific Copilot experience and organisational configuration. Read more about using different AI models here.
Can businesses build their own AI agents with Copilot?
Yes. Microsoft Copilot Studio allows organisations to create and manage AI agents and workflows, connect them with business knowledge and systems, and deploy them into Microsoft experiences such as Copilot and Teams. Read more about the Microsoft Copilot Studio multi-model lineup.
Sources and Further Reading
Anthropic Models in Microsoft Online Services (Microsoft Learn)
Copilot in Microsoft 365 Apps with Anthropic Models (Microsoft Learn)
Expanding Model Choice in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Microsoft Copilot Blog)
Anthropic Joins the Multi-Model Lineup in Microsoft Copilot Studio (Microsoft Copilot Blog)
Choose Your Model When Editing with Copilot in PowerPoint (Microsoft Support)