Microsoft Partners With Harvard Medical School To Bolster AI Sources: Report

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has partnered with Harvard Medical School to access its consumer health content on specific diseases and wellness topics, as the tech giant looks to diversify its artificial intelligence (AI) sources.  

Boost Copilot, Reduce OpenAI Reliance

The upcoming version of Copilot, slated for release this month, will draw on material from Harvard Health Publishing to deliver answers on medical and wellness topics, as part of the company’s broader strategy to reduce its dependence on ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Microsoft will pay Harvard a licensing fee under the new partnership.

Microsoft's health AI head, Dominic King, told WSJ that the goal is for Copilot to deliver credible, trustworthy, and accessible health information, similar to what users might receive from medical professionals, though he declined to discuss the Harvard partnership.

Microsoft and Harvard did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s requests for comment.

AI Investments Ramp Up

This partnership comes on the heels of Microsoft’s plans to invest heavily in proprietary AI chip infrastructure, as revealed by AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman during an internal town hall meeting in September 2025. The move is aimed at achieving “self-sufficiency in AI” and reducing reliance on the $13 billion OpenAI partnership.

The tech giant’s decision to pay Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) -backed Anthropic for AI features in Office apps was highlighted as a significant change in strategy by CNBC host Jim Cramer. Microsoft is integrating some of Anthropic’s Claude models into Office 365 applications, marking a shift from its heavy reliance on OpenAI.

Benzinga's Edge Rankings place Microsoft in the 74th percentile for momentum and the 97th percentile for growth, reflecting its strong performance in both areas. Check the detailed report here.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.