Short Version
M365 Copilot Researcher and Copilot Studio offer Anthropic models for organisations that opt in. Due from 24th September 2025.

Details
Researcher can now be powered by either existing OpenAI’s deep reasoning models or Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.1 via the Frontier Program, if your organisation opts in.


In Copilot Studio, Claude Opus 4.1 and Sonnet 4 models are available in preview as optional model options in addition to existing options from OpenAI.

These Anthropic models are disabled by default, and your organisation’s admin must opt-in.

This statement from Microsoft is likely to be a challenge for many large organisations, certainly the ones I’m working with, unless they have something in place to mitigate the following points:

“When your organization chooses to use an Anthropic model, your organization is choosing to share your data with Anthropic to power the features. This data is processed outside all Microsoft‑managed environments and audit controls, therefore Microsoft’s customer agreements, including the Product Terms and Data Processing Addendum do not apply. In addition, Microsoft’s data‑residency commitments, audit and compliance requirements, service level agreements, and Customer Copyright Commitment do not apply to your use of Anthropic services. Instead, use of Anthropic’s services is governed by Anthropic’s Commercial Terms of Service and Anthropic’s Data Processing Addendum

Availability
From 24th September 2025.

Source, related links, and references
MC1158765.
Image(s): Microsoft.
Discover what else is new for Copilot.
Learn more:

Page originally published
25th September 2025, and kept up to date.


Are you an Update Insider yet? Get early access to the What’s new in Microsoft 365 and Copilot? roundup, have every full update (like this one) delivered to your inbox and gain exclusive rights to share your questions and views on updates across the site. Sign up for a free trial, then just £5 per month. Slide Deck members can also receive the latest Evergreen slides to use and present at work.


Would you like to attend a live webinar covering this month’s updates? Monthly, free, just 55 minutes and more fun than it sounds! Sign up for the sessions I deliver with The Inform Team: Microsoft 365 Evergreen.


🎬 Are you, or your colleagues, struggling to get the most out of Copilot? On The Inform Team’s webinar You switched on Microsoft 365 Copilot. Now what? I discuss and demo no-prompt, easy ways that Copilot can help you without typing a single prompt. Watch and share here.