Microsoft AI privacy rules for schools signal a tougher stance on ed tech
Microsoft and two teachers unions set enforceable AI safeguards as districts weigh a more cautious approach to classroom technology.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Microsoft AI privacy rules for schools are set to become available for districts to add to contracts in November, under an agreement with two teachers unions. The deal points to a more guarded response to artificial intelligence than schools showed during the earlier push for coding programs and classroom devices, according to reporting by The Verge.
Microsoft agreed with the American Federation of Teachers and its New York City affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, on 10 safety and privacy principles for AI used in schools. Districts that adopt the terms can enforce them contractually, The Verge reported.
What do Microsoft’s AI privacy rules for schools require?
The commitments include a pledge not to train AI models on student or educator data, limits on data collection, and plain-language explanations for families about how the tools work. They also bar AI companions and require human review for decisions deemed high risk, according to The Verge.
The agreement does not amount to a rejection of AI in classrooms. It gives districts a framework for setting terms with a vendor while they decide where, and for which students, the technology belongs.
New York City and Los Angeles had already imposed one-year restrictions on AI tools for many students, The Verge reported, giving the districts time to weigh appropriate uses and safeguards. The AFT has called for no student-facing AI before middle school, while also taking part in an educator training hub financed by Anthropic, Microsoft and OpenAI.
How did Big Tech build its place in classrooms?
In Coding Kids, New York Times education technology reporter Natasha Singer traces how technology companies promoted computer science as a route to well-paid work while putting their own products and platforms before students. That could help companies cultivate future workers and customers, Singer argues; it is her interpretation of the industry’s education strategy, not a proven result for every student or school.
The earlier drive often encountered limited resistance, according to The Verge. Apple and Microsoft created material for Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles classes featuring Apple’s Swift programming language and Microsoft’s Minecraft, respectively. Google expanded its school presence through low-cost Chromebooks and the Classroom app, with Chromebook use accelerating during COVID-19 school shutdowns.
Code.org also helped make computer science widely available through its celebrity-backed Hour of Code campaign. Singer told The 74 that U.S. public schools probably would not offer computer science at its present scale without Code.org, while raising concerns about commercial material included through partnerships.
The contrast with the AI rollout is the visibility of demands for data limits, age boundaries and human oversight. It remains unresolved whether those conditions, and the ability to write them into vendor contracts, will alter the incentives or results of technology companies’ next push into schools.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.