Claude can now share context across Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, letting you 'work with a higher degree of efficiency and quality'

• Claude can now work across Excel and PowerPoint with shared context
• The AI chatbot interface integrates directly into the apps on Mac and Windows
• Anthropic is making these tools available in beta to paying customers now

Anthropic has made a series of context-related changes to Claude to give it more power within Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint – now that the AI tool can be accessed directly within the apps, it means users can interact with their data and generate slides without leaving the apps.

But Claude will also work between the two apps, so users can access Excel spreadsheet data and insights to pad out their presentations without having to copy and paste data.

"You can work with a higher degree of efficiency and quality, without having to re-explain at every step," Anthropic wrote.

You can now use Claude directly within Excel, PowerPoint

Integrating Claude directly within Excel means the AI can analyze datasets, help generate formulas and, of course, summarize and explain information, data and trends. Users can also generate dashboards and charts with natural language prompts.

On the PowerPoint front, it means users can generate entire slide decks from prompts and edit slides from the conversational interface. It also links in with Excel, which makes it easier to generate presentations from data analytics.

"We've shipped a preloaded starter set of skills that cover the most common Excel and PowerPoint use cases," Anthropic said, adding that users can build custom plugins and use third-party connectors.

Paying customers can access beta versions of these updated tools across both Mac and Windows, but the company has not publicly set a target for general availability.

Anthropic has also published a set of instructions for Claude for Excel and Claude for PowerPoint to help admins get set up.

The move comes shortly after Microsoft unveiled Copilot Cowork, an upgraded platform integrated with Anthropic's work automation service aimed at turning AI from an interested observer into a full-on helper.

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