Microsoft Announces AI Privacy Rules for Schools
Microsoft has agreed to new AI safety and privacy principles for schools following concerns about student data usage. The pact with a major teachers' union occurred a week after two large school systems banned student-facing AI.
Microsoft has established new privacy and safety principles for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational settings, responding to growing concerns over student data. The agreement, made with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and its New York affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), commits Microsoft to ten principles that school districts can legally enforce.
Key provisions of the pact include Microsoft's pledge not to train its AI models on student or educator data. The company also commits to limiting the scope of data it collects and to provide clear, understandable explanations to families about how its AI tools function.
The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of AI in schools. Just one week prior, two significant school systems had announced bans on AI tools accessible to students, highlighting a broader debate within the education sector.
Microsoft aims to address these apprehensions by offering schools a more secure framework for adopting AI technologies. The contractual nature of the agreement provides districts with recourse to ensure adherence to the stated principles.