The rapid pace of artificial intelligence innovation continues, and Claude Opus 4.5's arrival in Microsoft Foundry is a game changer for agentic task processing. The model is now publicly available not only in Foundry but also through GitHub Copilot paid plans and Microsoft Copilot Studio.
More than just another upgrade, Claude Opus 4.5 elevates AI from helpful assistant to collaborative partner, enabling complex multi-step workflows and unlocking new levels of enterprise productivity.
Why Claude Opus 4.5 Stands Out
Claude Opus 4.5 surpasses earlier versions like Sonnet 4.5 and Opus 4.1 in both capability and efficiency. It's built to address diverse enterprise needs, ranging from advanced software engineering to automating mission-critical business processes. By modernizing legacy systems and accelerating workflow automation, organizations can achieve faster ROI and benefit from a secure, integrated AI platform.
- Unmatched Engineering: Opus 4.5 leads industry benchmarks such as SWE-bench, impressing early adopters with its ability to interpret ambiguous requirements and resolve issues spanning interconnected systems.
- Agentic Workflow Mastery: This model excels in agentic coding, advanced tool use, and complex problem solving—ideal for automation in finance, cybersecurity, and large-scale enterprise operations.
- Tool Integration: Developers can utilize advanced features like programmatic tool calling in Python, dynamic tool search, and superior handling of intricate tool schemas. These capabilities support the creation of agents that coordinate across hundreds of tools and dynamic environments.
- Vision and Productivity: As Anthropic's top vision model, Opus 4.5 automates visually complex workflows, from document creation to large-scale desktop task automation, while maintaining consistency and context throughout.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: Enhanced alignment, minimized vulnerability to prompt-injection, and robust behavioral safeguards make Opus 4.5 a strong fit for Microsoft’s enterprise standards in governance and operational integrity.
Optimized Developer Experience
Microsoft Foundry provides a streamlined experience for deploying and scaling AI models like Opus 4.5. New tools—such as the Effort Parameter (Beta) for managing computational resources and Compaction Control for efficient long-running tasks—grant teams more control and reliability. This means organizations can expect greater predictability and resource efficiency across varied workloads.
Accessible Pricing and Global Availability
Opus 4.5 not only raises performance standards but does so affordably—at one-third the cost of prior Opus-class models. Its global rollout (beginning in East US2 and Sweden Central) uses a serverless, pay-as-you-go pricing model: $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. The public preview launched on November 24, 2025, making cutting-edge AI more accessible than ever.
How to Start Using Claude Opus 4.5
Teams can begin leveraging Claude Opus 4.5 immediately via the Microsoft Foundry portal. Soon, the model will be integrated into Visual Studio Code through the Foundry extension, expanding access for developers and organizations alike.
High-Impact Use Cases
The versatility of Claude Opus 4.5 is evident in real-world applications:
- Software Development: Empowers agents to orchestrate complex, multi-system builds with limited oversight.
- Financial Analysis: Merges regulatory and market data for advanced modeling and compliance automation.
- Cybersecurity: Automates threat identification and incident response by synthesizing data from multiple sources.
- Enterprise Operations: Streamlines business processes by coordinating workflows spanning numerous tools and data streams.
Takeaway
Claude Opus 4.5 sets a new benchmark for AI-driven productivity, security, and creativity within Azure. With its seamless integration into Microsoft Foundry, businesses and developers can now embrace the next era of AI innovation—securely, scalably, and efficiently.
Source: Microsoft Azure Blog – Introducing Claude Opus 4.5 in Microsoft Foundry
Claude Opus 4.5: Transforming Enterprise AI Collaboration in Microsoft Foundry