Anthropic has integrated its Claude AI assistant directly into Microsoft PowerPoint, launching a research preview of the tool for subscribers to its Claude Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise tiers. The add-in, available through Microsoft AppSource, allows users to generate and edit presentations using natural language prompts, while maintaining the visual consistency of existing slide decks.
The integration represents a continued effort by Anthropic to extend Claude’s capabilities beyond standalone chat interfaces and into common productivity workflows. Following the release of Claude in Excel, this move aims to streamline the process of translating data and ideas into polished presentations.
How Claude in PowerPoint Works
Claude’s functionality within PowerPoint centers around understanding and respecting the existing design of a presentation. Before generating or modifying content, the AI analyzes the slide master, layouts, fonts, and color schemes to ensure new elements align with established branding and formatting rules. This is intended to minimize the need for manual adjustments after content generation.
Users interact with Claude through prompts, describing the desired outcome – whether it’s creating new slides, editing existing ones, or building a complete presentation outline. Anthropic highlights three core workflows:
- Slide Generation: Creating new slides based on a specific prompt, such as a competitive comparison slide formatted to match the current template.
- Content Editing: Modifying existing slides or elements, including rewriting bullet points, simplifying complex text, or converting information into visual diagrams.
- Outline Creation: Generating a structured presentation outline from a high-level description, such as an industry assessment.
A key feature is the creation of native PowerPoint objects – charts and diagrams that can be further edited within the application after being generated by Claude. This allows for continued refinement and customization beyond the initial AI-driven creation.
Users can also choose between Anthropic’s Sonnet 4.5 and Opus 4.6 models within PowerPoint. While Anthropic doesn’t prescribe specific use cases, third-party testing suggests Opus 4.6 may be better suited for complex restructuring tasks, while Sonnet 4.5 excels at lighter edits.
From Spreadsheets to Slides: Integration with Claude in Excel
The launch of Claude in PowerPoint builds on Anthropic’s earlier integration with Microsoft Excel. Claude in Excel focuses on spreadsheet-specific tasks, such as editing pivot tables, modifying charts, and applying conditional formatting. Together, these integrations offer a pathway for users to move seamlessly from data analysis in Excel to presentation creation in PowerPoint, leveraging AI throughout the process.
Anthropic emphasizes that this workflow reduces the repetitive work often associated with recreating charts and tables when transitioning data from spreadsheets to presentations. The goal is to maintain data integrity and visual consistency while minimizing manual effort.
Limitations and Security Considerations
Currently designated as a research preview, Claude in PowerPoint comes with several limitations. Anthropic advises users to carefully review all AI-generated changes before finalizing presentations. The company lists specific areas where the tool may not yet perform optimally:
- Feature Support: Some advanced PowerPoint features are not yet fully supported.
- Chat History: Chat history is not saved between sessions, requiring users to re-establish context each time the add-in is opened.
- Data Retention: For Team and Enterprise customers, custom data retention settings are not yet inherited by the add-in.
- Audit Logs: The tool is not currently included in Enterprise audit logs or the Compliance API.
Security is also a concern. Anthropic warns of potential prompt injection risks, where malicious instructions embedded in templates or external documents could manipulate the model. To mitigate this, the company recommends using Claude in PowerPoint only with trusted files and avoiding untrusted external sources.
The potential for malicious code within a presentation file to influence the AI’s behavior highlights the importance of careful file management and source verification.
Availability
Claude in PowerPoint is currently available as a research preview for Claude Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise subscribers. Anthropic has not yet announced a timeline for a broader public release. The company anticipates that feature support, compliance integrations, and security safeguards will continue to evolve before a full production launch.
