Starting today, Anthropic models are rolling out alongside OpenAI models in Microsoft Copilot Studio. With the choice of Anthropic and OpenAI models for orchestration, chat, and deep reasoning scenarios in Copilot Studio, you have greater flexibility in how you design and optimize agents and workflows to transform business processes.
Anthropic models are available to customers in early release cycle environments worldwide today. They will roll out to preview in all environments within two weeks, and be ready for use in production by the end of the year.
Unlocking the power of choice
Copilot Studio will continue to use OpenAI as the default model for new agents, and now you’ll also have the flexibility to choose from Anthropic models, Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1. You can use these models in Copilot Studio in two ways:
- Orchestration: Build, orchestrate, and manage agents powered by Anthropic models for advanced reasoning, workflow automation, flexible agentic tasks, and tool use.
- Prompt builder: The prompt builder drop-down menu makes it simple to choose your optimal model for each scenario.
With more options and control over model selection, we empower you to choose the best model for your use case – no matter the industry, function, or process.
How to get started with Anthropic models in Copilot Studio
Admins control how Anthropic models are used within their environment, with clear options for enabling, managing, and restricting access.
- Opt-in at launch: Anthropic models must first be enabled by your admin in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center (MAC) before they can be used across your tenant.
- Environment management: Once enabled in MAC, Anthropic will be on by default in the Power Platform Admin Center (PPAC). There, admins have additional controls to manage how Anthropic models are accessed by makers in Copilot Studio environments.
- Automatic fallback: If Anthropic models are disabled, agents built with it will automatically switch to the default model, OpenAI GPT-4o. No additional configuration required.
Step by step: Building an HR onboarding agent in Copilot Studio
Let’s say you’re an HR professional building an agent to automate employee onboarding. Here’s how you’d get started:
- Create a new agent: Open Copilot Studio and begin creating your HR onboarding agent.
- Connect knowledge sources: Link relevant HR documents, FAQs, and policy resources to your agent.
- Design prompts and flows: Set up conversational logic and workflows your agent will use to interact with new hires.
- Select your model: In the settings panel, you’ll find the option to select your agent’s primary model for reasoning and responding. You can choose from available options, including OpenAI GPT-5 or the newly added Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1 models.
- Configure AI tools: Model choice extends to custom prompts as well, allowing you to tailor your agent’s behavior to the strengths of each model for different tasks. For example, you might select one model for conversational employee FAQs and communications but use a different model for compliance checks and policy interpretation.
- Deploy and test: Launch your agent, test onboarding scenarios, and iterate based on feedback.
When it comes to determining the right model for the right job, the answer depends on your unique goals. When building agents, there is no universal solution. The right model is the one that fits your use case. And with multi-agent orchestration in Copilot Studio, you can even coordinate multiple agents with different primary models, and they will work seamlessly together.
Experiment, share, and shape what’s next
We’re just getting started with model choice in Copilot Studio. Whether you’re using OpenAI, Anthropic, or both, you have the flexibility to choose the right model for your agent. We encourage you to explore, test different models for your use cases, and share your feedback. Your insights help us improve every day and shape what’s next for agentic AI at Microsoft.
Looking for more information to help you get started?
- Learn more about model choice in Copilot Studio
- Read the blog on expanding model choice in M365 Copilot with Claude in Researcher
- Join us at the Power Platform Community Conference in Las Vegas and connect with makers, experts, and innovators shaping the future of Copilot Studio
