Microsoft Copilot Cowork explained: How it differs from Anthropic’s Claude Cowork
As AI agents become the new buzzword, Microsoft has also launched Copilot Cowork with Microsoft 365 Copilot to automate complex tasks. Know what it is and how it works.
- Mar 10, 2026,
- Updated Mar 10, 2026 4:08 PM IST
On March 9, Microsoft rolled out a cloud-based AI agentic automation tool, dubbed Copilot Cowork, within Microsoft 365 Copilot in preview. The new AI tool can complete complex tasks on users' behalf across many tools, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, and other Microsoft 365 services.
While the functionalities of Copilot Cowork sound familiar to Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, they are two different products, designed for users running on different infrastructures. However, both tools share the goal of redefining the modern workplace with AI agents.
Notably, Microsoft is also leveraging certain technologies inspired by Claude Cowork to strengthen its Copilot ecosystem, but here’s how they are broadly different from each other.
What is Copilot Cowork?
According to Microsoft’s blog post, Copilot Cowork is a new feature designed for Microsoft 365 Copilot. This new feature helps users to delegate tasks and carry out complex tasks across workplace applications, as mentioned above. Once the Cowork is aware of the desired goal, it automatically builds context using information from emails, meetings, messages, files, and other data within Microsoft 365.
Then it converts the user request into an actionable plan. The AI then starts working on the tasks in the background with checkpoints where the user can review progress, make changes if required, and even have the power to pause or stop the task. Furthermore, it applies the necessary changes if the user provides approval.
Cowork runs on Work IQ, which means it works on the data that connects users’ emails, files, chats, calendars and organisational information. Although it also provides context to that data, rather than just retrieving it.
How Copilot Cowork differs from Claude Cowork?
Anthropic’s Claude Cowork is a desktop-based agent that uses agentic architecture powering Claude Code. It is accessible within the Claude Desktop app and is built to manage complex and multi-step tasks such as formatting documents, organising files, automating browser, and integrating with external services via plugins. This makes it flexible for personal and non-enterprise workflows as well.
On the other hand, Copilot Cowork operates in the cloud, inside Microsoft 365’s infrastructure. It has access to the full graph of a user’s work data for context-aware automation, and it is built to work across many Microsoft apps. It can reschedule meetings, draft presentations, or even summarise threads, making it more centred towards enterprise workflows.
Therefore, Claude Cowork is built for individuals who want a flexible AI agent for their own files, apps, and tools. Whereas the Copilot Cowork is built for enterprises that work under a secure and managed cloud system of Microsoft 365.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine
On March 9, Microsoft rolled out a cloud-based AI agentic automation tool, dubbed Copilot Cowork, within Microsoft 365 Copilot in preview. The new AI tool can complete complex tasks on users' behalf across many tools, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, and other Microsoft 365 services.
While the functionalities of Copilot Cowork sound familiar to Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, they are two different products, designed for users running on different infrastructures. However, both tools share the goal of redefining the modern workplace with AI agents.
Notably, Microsoft is also leveraging certain technologies inspired by Claude Cowork to strengthen its Copilot ecosystem, but here’s how they are broadly different from each other.
What is Copilot Cowork?
According to Microsoft’s blog post, Copilot Cowork is a new feature designed for Microsoft 365 Copilot. This new feature helps users to delegate tasks and carry out complex tasks across workplace applications, as mentioned above. Once the Cowork is aware of the desired goal, it automatically builds context using information from emails, meetings, messages, files, and other data within Microsoft 365.
Then it converts the user request into an actionable plan. The AI then starts working on the tasks in the background with checkpoints where the user can review progress, make changes if required, and even have the power to pause or stop the task. Furthermore, it applies the necessary changes if the user provides approval.
Cowork runs on Work IQ, which means it works on the data that connects users’ emails, files, chats, calendars and organisational information. Although it also provides context to that data, rather than just retrieving it.
How Copilot Cowork differs from Claude Cowork?
Anthropic’s Claude Cowork is a desktop-based agent that uses agentic architecture powering Claude Code. It is accessible within the Claude Desktop app and is built to manage complex and multi-step tasks such as formatting documents, organising files, automating browser, and integrating with external services via plugins. This makes it flexible for personal and non-enterprise workflows as well.
On the other hand, Copilot Cowork operates in the cloud, inside Microsoft 365’s infrastructure. It has access to the full graph of a user’s work data for context-aware automation, and it is built to work across many Microsoft apps. It can reschedule meetings, draft presentations, or even summarise threads, making it more centred towards enterprise workflows.
Therefore, Claude Cowork is built for individuals who want a flexible AI agent for their own files, apps, and tools. Whereas the Copilot Cowork is built for enterprises that work under a secure and managed cloud system of Microsoft 365.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine