Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) shares rose 1.38% on July 17, and that day 282 hedge funds held MSFT stock. According to a Bloomberg report, Microsoft has begun replacing OpenAI and Anthropic models with its own MAI models in some software products, aiming to lower AI usage costs and reduce reliance on external vendors.
Three Drivers Behind Microsoft Replacing Outlook and Excel With MAI Models
According to a July 7, 2026 Bloomberg report, Microsoft’s decision to replace third-party AI models is driven by the following three factors:
Lower AI usage costs: Bloomberg cited Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman on June 4, saying Anthropic’s service costs are extremely high, and the company is looking for alternatives.
Improved performance of in-house models: Microsoft says its in-house MAI model performance has reached a level that can replace models from external providers.
Reduced reliance on external vendors: The company believes it can now reduce the degree of reliance on third-party models such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
At present, the affected products known to be impacted include Outlook and Excel; Bloomberg’s report did not list a complete catalog of affected products.
Mustafa Suleyman: Anthropic’s Cost Problems and the Search for Alternatives
In a June 4, 2026 Bloomberg report, Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman said in an interview that Anthropic’s service costs are “extremely high,” and Microsoft is looking for alternatives. This statement came before Bloomberg’s July 7 report and serves as one of the public context explanations for Microsoft’s official replacement of Anthropic models.
Microsoft’s Dual-Track AI Setup: Azure AI Platform and In-House MAI Models
Microsoft’s AI business is divided into two main lines: the Azure AI cloud platform provides the computing power and resources that enterprises and developers need to train and run AI models; at the same time, Microsoft also develops in-house MAI models for its applications (including Outlook and Excel).
According to Bloomberg’s report, Microsoft is gradually replacing some models in certain products with the latter, swapping out existing OpenAI and Anthropic third-party models.
FAQ
How many hedge funds currently hold Microsoft (MSFT) stock?
Based on the report in this article, as of July 2026, 282 hedge funds hold Microsoft (MSFT) stock; MSFT’s single-day rise % on July 17, 2026 was 1.38%.
Which Microsoft products reported by Bloomberg have replaced third-party AI models?
According to Bloomberg’s July 7, 2026 report, Outlook and Excel are the known software products that have started replacing OpenAI and Anthropic models with Microsoft’s in-house MAI models; Bloomberg’s report did not list a complete catalog of affected products.
Where does Mustafa Suleyman’s original statement about Anthropic’s cost issue come from?
Mustafa Suleyman’s related remarks come from Bloomberg’s June 4, 2026 report. In the interview, he said Anthropic’s service costs are “extremely high,” and Microsoft is looking for alternatives; this statement came about a month earlier than Bloomberg’s July 7 report on Microsoft’s official replacement of Anthropic models.
