Claude AI Integrates with Microsoft 365

Microsoft continues its AI diversification efforts to reduce reliance on OpenAI. It was announced today that a new Microsoft 365 connector will enable Claude AI to access SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, and Teams.

Anthropic states that Claude AI's access to SharePoint and OneDrive allows it to search documents 'across sites and libraries' without the need for direct uploads. Claude can also read emails to extract insights on 'project status, client feedback, or team alignment.'

In Microsoft Teams, Claude can search conversations and meeting notes to better understand team plans. This collaboration is facilitated by Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP), introduced in 2024.

This week, Microsoft announced a new AI assistant, 'Hey, Copilot!', which can be commanded with natural language. The AI agent, Manus, is designed to quickly build websites. Thanks to an MCP connection, Manus can fetch files and photos from a PC to build a custom website.

Alongside the new Microsoft 365 integration, Anthropic has launched an enterprise search feature to make finding specific data in shared projects easier. Once a shared project is set up, custom prompts can quickly search a knowledge pool that includes all participants.

The new AI alliance between Anthropic and Microsoft is not available to all Microsoft 365 users. The connector that adds Claude to SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook is exclusive to Claude's Team and Enterprise subscribers.