[DigitalToday reporter Chi-gyu Hwang (황치규)] Signs have emerged that Microsoft is keeping a close watch after Anthropic unveiled Cowork, an AI tool that supports work-related tasks across a range of enterprise applications from office apps to Slack.

The Information reported on Jan. 28 that after Anthropic introduced Cowork, Microsoft product leaders told colleagues it looked like a rival to Microsoft 365 Copilot. Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI assistant optimized for Microsoft 365, a cloud-based productivity platform, and aims to automate tasks such as document creation and organizing users’ files.

Anthropic’s Cowork is described as being able to carry out real tasks by moving across multiple applications like a person. It can use a folder containing receipt image files to create an Excel spreadsheet that organizes the spending details shown in the images. It can also search, rename and systematically organize hundreds of files stored on a computer. It can produce a PowerPoint presentation that integrates internet information with locally stored files through research on a specific topic.

Cowork is currently available only as a preview version and is not an enterprise product like Microsoft 365, but Microsoft appears to be paying attention.

According to the report, several Microsoft 365 Copilot leaders were concerned Cowork could be ahead of Microsoft 365 Copilot in creating Excel spreadsheets or PowerPoint materials. The Information cited a source as saying they instructed employees to keep improving Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Some Microsoft divisions are already moving quickly to develop AI prototypes like Cowork, the report said. The Information said some of those prototypes are based on Anthropic AI models.