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Microsoft is reportedly training salespeople to talk down OpenAI and Anthropic
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Microsoft is reportedly training its sales team to aggressively downplay competing AI products from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, according to a Bloomberg report. At an internal strategy session on Tuesday, executives outlined plans for salespeople to negatively compare rival offerings while promoting Microsoft's own in-house models. The meeting, marking the start of the new fiscal year, emphasized pitching Microsoft's full end-to-end system as more efficient and cost-effective than the piecemeal solutions from competitors.
The move marks a significant shift for Microsoft, which has long depended on OpenAI's models for its own products. The two companies entered a unique partnership years ago, with Microsoft providing capital and compute in exchange for exclusive access to OpenAI's API and models. However, in April, the partnership was amended, dropping the exclusivity clause and allowing OpenAI to sell to Microsoft's rivals.
During the meeting, Executive Vice President Jay Parikh told the room, "Everyone else is selling parts β we're selling the full end-to-end system. That's the story that we all need to get out there and tell in FY27." Copilot executive vice president Jacob Andreou reportedly delivered a presentation directly comparing Copilot to Anthropic's Claude chatbot, stating that Anthropic's model was "slower and less accurate, and lacked the proper security integrations" within Microsoft's office apps.
The strategy is particularly notable given that Microsoft is now targeting the same companies it once relied on for AI models. A report earlier this month revealed that Microsoft has been swapping OpenAI's and Anthropic's models out of flagship apps like Word and Excel in favor of its own, a cost-cutting move aimed at reducing reliance on external providers.
While it is not uncommon for companies to train sales teams to criticize competitors, the timing and targets reflect Microsoft's evolving landscape. TechCrunch has reached out to Microsoft and Anthropic for comment but has not yet received a response. The shift comes as investors question Microsoft's massive spending on AI infrastructure, with the company's stock facing less-than-optimal outlooks.
Looking ahead, Microsoft's aggressive sales tactics may help calm investor concerns by demonstrating confidence in its own AI products. By positioning itself as a one-stop shop rather than a reseller of others' models, Microsoft aims to build long-term confidence in its AI strategy. The success of this approach will depend on whether its in-house models can truly match or outperform those of its former partners in real-world applications.
