Published on January 23, 2026
A New Player Takes the Lead in AI Development Tools
For months, developers have been comparing the performance of AI-powered coding assistants — Anthropic’s Claude Code, Anysphere’s Cursor, and Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot.
And a clear trend is emerging: Claude Code is increasingly winning over users, from seasoned developers to non-technical professionals, thanks to its ease of use and flexibility.
Microsoft Widely Adopts Claude Code
According to internal sources reported by The Verge, Microsoft is now deploying Claude Code on a large scale across its teams, far beyond its developer community.
This strategic move follows the initial adoption of Claude Sonnet 4 within Microsoft’s developer division in June 2025. The tool was later integrated into GitHub Copilot’s premium offerings, marking the beginning of a closer collaboration between Microsoft and Anthropic.
Now, Microsoft is going even further: several of its largest engineering teams — including those in the Experiences + Devices division, responsible for Windows, Microsoft 365, Teams, Bing, Edge, and Surface — have been asked to install and test Claude Code.
The goal: to empower everyone, even designers and project managers without coding experience, to prototype new ideas using AI.
Claude Code: Copilot’s New Ally
Contrary to what one might think, Microsoft isn’t trying to replace GitHub Copilot but rather to create synergy between the two AI assistants.
Developers are now encouraged to use both Claude Code and Copilot and to share comparative feedback on their respective strengths.
This demonstrates Microsoft’s intention to diversify its AI technologies instead of relying solely on internal solutions. By adopting Anthropic’s model, the company strengthens its ecosystem while positioning Claude Code as a collaborative standard in AI-assisted development.
A Strategic Move Toward Anthropic
This partnership marks an unprecedented collaboration between Microsoft and Anthropic, already backed by Amazon and Google through various cloud agreements.
While Microsoft has built much of its AI leadership through OpenAI (creator of ChatGPT and Copilot), this shift toward Anthropic signals a pragmatic, ecosystem-based strategy — leveraging the best of each player to enhance its own tools.
By integrating Claude Code into its workflows, Microsoft aims not only to boost internal productivity but also to better understand developer behavior when working with alternative models.
This may well lay the groundwork for the next generation of universal, hybrid AI coding assistants.
At Leadkong, Claude Has Already Won Us Over
At Leadkong.com, we’ve been closely following Claude’s rise — and we’re big fans.
Beyond coding, Claude helps us analyze business data, structure information, and build AI-driven strategies.
Its contextual awareness, clear explanations, and natural collaborative style make it a true thinking partner, far beyond just a coding assistant.
Conclusion: A New Era for AI-Assisted Coding
Microsoft’s large-scale adoption of Claude Code is a symbolic milestone: OpenAI’s dominance within Microsoft’s ecosystem is no longer absolute.
By testing and promoting Anthropic’s tools, Microsoft sends a clear message: the future of software development will be collaborative, open, and multi-model.
And at Leadkong, we couldn’t agree more — AI should be a co-creation partner, not a replacement.