- Claude can now work in Excel and PowerPoint with shared context
- AI chatbot interface integrates directly into Mac and Windows apps
- Anthropic is making these tools available to paying customers in beta now
Anthropic has made a number 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 from 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 applications, so users can access information and data from Excel spreadsheets to complete their presentations without having to copy and paste data.
“You can work with a higher degree of efficiency and quality, without having to explain yourself every step of the way,” Anthropic wrote.
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Now you can use Claude directly in Excel, PowerPoint
Integrating Claude directly into Excel means that AI can analyze data sets, 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 slideshows from prompts and edit slides from the conversational interface. It also links to Excel, making it easy to generate presentations from data analysis.
“We’ve shipped an initial set of preloaded skills that cover the most common Excel and PowerPoint use cases,” Anthropic said, adding that users can create custom add-ins and use third-party connectors.
Paying customers can access beta versions of these updated tools on both Mac and Windows, but the company has not publicly set a goal for general availability.
Anthropic has also published a set of instructions for Claude for Excel and Claude for PowerPoint to help administrators get set up.
The move comes shortly after Microsoft unveiled Copilot Cowork, an enhanced platform integrated with Anthropic’s work automation service aimed at turning AI from an interested observer to a full helper.
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