Microsoft has begun shifting its artificial intelligence infrastructure toward internal development, reducing its dependence on models supplied by OpenAI and Anthropic. The company is now using proprietary MAI models to handle certain user requests within Excel and Word, marking a strategic reversal from its earlier positioning that Office 365 relied substantially on third-party AI providers.

This move reflects broader cost pressures rippling across the technology industry, where expenses associated with AI services have prompted multiple major corporations to reassess their spending strategies. The economic strain has intensified sufficiently that some firms are evaluating less expensive alternatives, including models developed outside the United States, though such options present security considerations that complicate the decision.