Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic are investing $23 million to train teachers how to use AI in the classroom.
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The American Federation of Teachers announced on Tuesday that the three tech companies will fund a new training center called the National Academy for AI Instruction. The academy will offer free workshops and seminars to help educators integrate AI tools into their teaching.
The goal is to support 400,000 K-12 teachers over the next five years. Microsoft is the largest contributor to the project. The company will invest $12.5 million over five years.
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OpenAI will contribute $10 million, with $2 million in in-kind resources. Anthropic plans to invest $500 million in the first year and may contribute more over time. The academy will have a physical facility in Manhattan, New York.
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It also plans to open additional locations in the future. Online training sessions will be available to educators nationwide. The initiative is part of a broader effort to help teachers and students adapt to rapid advancements in technology.
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Tech investment in AI education
In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Task Force on AI Education. The order emphasizes public-private partnerships to provide AI resources for K-12 education.
AI developers have increasingly targeted schools as a critical area for expanding their businesses. OpenAI partnered with the California State University system to provide their software to 500,000 students and faculty. Anthropic introduced Claude for Education, a version of its chatbot designed for higher education.
Google has also forged agreements to implement its AI tools in public schools and universities. “When it comes to AI in schools, the question is whether it is being used to disrupt education for the benefit of students and teachers or at their expense,” said Chris Lehane, chief global affairs officer of OpenAI. “We want this technology to be used by teachers for their benefit, by helping them to learn, to think, and to create.”
The academy aims to create a national model for integrating AI into curricula and teaching processes without adding to educators’ administrative workload.
“AI holds tremendous promise but huge challenges—and it’s our job as educators to make sure AI serves our students and society, not the other way around,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a statement. The program will include workshops, online courses, and in-person trainings designed by AI experts and educators. Instruction will begin this fall.
Tech companies stand to benefit by gaining feedback from teachers and potentially getting their AI tools into educational contexts. Previous educational partnerships have proven advantageous for tech companies, as seen with the widespread use of Google Chromebooks in schools.
