マイクロソフト、Claude Code のライセンスを停止し開発者を GitHub Copilot CLI へ移行へ—財務上の動機による可能性大（2 分読）

Last year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that the company writes up to 30% of its code using generative AI. As it now happens, Microsoft is reportedly planning to reduce the use of Anthropic's Claude Code — a move designed to push its employees toward GitHub Copilot CLI.

For context, The Verge's Tom Warrenreported that Microsoft started opening access to Claude Code for its employees in December, including developers, project managers, and designers, allowing them to interact and experiment with the AI-coding assistant directly in their workflows.

Warren reports that Claude Code gained vast popularity among Microsoft employees over the past six months, which has seemingly led to a pullback on its Claude Code push in favor of its own GitHub Copilot CLI. *"While Claude Code has been a popular addition, it has also undermined Microsoft’s new GitHub Copilot CLI coding tool," *Warren explained.

According to Warren's sources, Microsoft’s Experiences + Devices division, which includes teams working on Windows, Microsoft 365, Outlook, Teams, and Surface, is supposed to stop using Claude Code by the end of June. These teams are expected to transition their workflows to GitHub Copilot CLI over the next few weeks.

Do you think Microsoft dropping Claude Code licenses for GitHub Copilot CLI is the right move?

Voting closed at 10:34 PM on May 17, 2026

AI in coding is recipe for disaster

Yes

No

Other (engage in the comments)

Thanks for voting!

Please log in or register to see the results!

Join the community

Join the Windows Central Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.

Already have an account? Log in

Log In

Forgotten your password? Reset it

Not got an account? Register

My Details

Update your details below...

Keep in the Know

Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?

Validate Your Mobile No.

We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.

Update mobile number

Resend code

Update Your Mobile No.

You may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide.

Cancel

embed-poll.hint_heading

embed-poll.hint_subheading

Validate Your Email Address

We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.

Update email address

Resend code

Update Your Email Address

You may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide.

Cancel

Create a Username

This will be publicly viewable so make it something you like!

Reset your password

Enter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password.

Check your inbox

If your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password.

Set new password

Please enter your new password below.

Leaderboard

Rank

Player

Score

Time

The report reveals that the decision isn't centered on Microsoft pushing its staffers towards its own offering — there are some financial implications at play, too. Microsoft's financial year is expected to end on June 30, which means canceling Claude Code licenses for its employees could cut its operational costs as it transitions into a new financial year.

While speaking to The Verge, Microsoft's VP of experiences and devices group, Rajesh Jha, indicated:

*“When we began offering both Copilot CLI and Claude Code, our goal was to learn quickly, benchmark the tools in real engineering workflows, and understand what best supported our teams. Claude Code was an important part of that learning… at the same time, Copilot CLI has given us something especially important: a product we can help shape directly with GitHub for Microsoft’s repos, workflows, security expectations, and engineering needs.”*

It'll be interesting to see how the transition from Claude Code to GitHub Copilot CLI is received, especially since the vast majority seems to favor the former. The company's initial plan was to have its engineers use both offerings concurrently, to compare their capabilities, and to provide feedback.

Interestingly, Microsoft staffers have seemingly preferred Claude Cove over GitHub Copilot over the past few months, primarily because of the feature disparity between the two products.

In the interim, I reported that Microsoft is actively looking into AI startup acquisitions to cement its position in the AI landscape, including Cursor AI. However, that deal might not see the light of day as it could trigger regulatory scrutiny for Microsoft. This is because GitHub Copilot and Cursor are curiously similar in the AI coding space.

*Join us on *Reddit at r/WindowsCentral*to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.*

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.