check before: 2026-04-01
Product:
Copilot, Copilot Chat, Entra, Microsoft 365 admin center, Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft 365 suite, Power Platform
Platform:
Online, US Instances, Web, World tenant
Status:
In development
Change type:
New feature, User impact, Admin impact
Details:
Summary:
Admins will soon be able to assign third-party AI model providers like Anthropic and xAI to specific users or groups in Microsoft 365 Copilot via a new control in the Microsoft Admin Center. This rollout begins in late April 2026 and supports Entra ID group-based access management.
Details:
[Introduction]
Today, IT admins can enable or disable third‑party model providers, such as Anthropic and xAI (US only), at the tenant level in the Microsoft Admin Center. With this update, admins will be able to assign access to a third‑party model provider to specific users or groups within the tenant.
This update is related to MC1193290, which announced that Anthropic models would be enabled by default for many customers in certain Copilot experiences and offered under the Microsoft Product Terms and Data Protection Addendum (DPA) as a Microsoft subprocessor.
This message corresponds to Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557371.
[When this will happen]
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in late April 2026 and expect to complete in late April 2026.
Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability
Created:
2026-03-28
updated:
2026-03-31
Task Type
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Docu to Check
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MS How does it affect me
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MS Preperations
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MS Urgency
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MS workload name
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linked item details
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Pictures
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summary for non-techies**
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Direct effects for Operations**
Access Control Changes
Without proper preparation, users may lose access to essential AI model providers, leading to disruptions in their workflows and productivity.
- roles: IT Admins, End Users
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/copilot/microsoft-365/connect-to-ai-subprocessor, https://learn.microsoft.com/copilot/microsoft-365/enterprise-data-protection
User Experience Disruption
Changes in AI model access can lead to inconsistencies in user experience, as some users may have different capabilities based on their group assignments.
- roles: End Users, Support Staff
- references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-copilot-studio/authoring-select-external-response-model, https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/docs/view/Microsoft-Products-and-Services-Data-Protection-Addendum-DPA
Compliance and Governance Risks
Failure to align user access with internal governance policies may result in compliance issues, especially regarding data protection and user privacy.
- roles: Compliance Officers, IT Admins
- references: https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/welcome/welcomepage, https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=557371
Configutation Options**
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Opportunities**
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Potentional Risks**
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Data Protection**
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IT Security**
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Hypothetical Work Council Statement**
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DPIA Draft**
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explanation for non-techies**
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** AI generated content. This information must be reviewed before use.
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change history
| Date | Property | old | new |
| 2026-03-31 | MC Messages | [Introduction]
Today, IT admins can enable or disable third‑party model providers, such as Anthropic and xAI (US only), at the tenant level in the Microsoft Admin Center. With this update, admins will be able to assign access to a third‑party model provider to specific users or groups within the tenant. This update is related to MC1193920, which announced that Anthropic models would be enabled by default for many customers in certain Copilot experiences and offered under the Microsoft Product Terms and Data Protection Addendum (DPA) as a Microsoft subprocessor. This message corresponds to Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557371. [When this will happen] General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in late April 2026 and expect to complete in late April 2026. | [Introduction]
Today, IT admins can enable or disable third‑party model providers, such as Anthropic and xAI (US only), at the tenant level in the Microsoft Admin Center. With this update, admins will be able to assign access to a third‑party model provider to specific users or groups within the tenant. This update is related to MC1193290, which announced that Anthropic models would be enabled by default for many customers in certain Copilot experiences and offered under the Microsoft Product Terms and Data Protection Addendum (DPA) as a Microsoft subprocessor. This message corresponds to Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557371. [When this will happen] General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in late April 2026 and expect to complete in late April 2026. |
| 2026-03-31 | MC Last Updated | 03/27/2026 20:38:43 | 2026-03-30T19:48:14Z |
Last updated 2 weeks ago ago
