AFT offers AI training with $23m

The American Federation of Teachers said on July 8, 2025 that it was launching a National Academy for AI Instruction with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and the United Federation of Teachers. The union said the initiative carries $23 million in backing and will provide free AI training and curriculum to its 1.8 million members, beginning with K-12 educators. AFT said the academy will operate from a Manhattan site and is intended to train teachers to use AI “responsibly, ethically and effectively” in schools. ### Why is a teachers’ union building an AI academy with tech companies? AFT President Randi Weingarten said in the launch announcement that teachers need “a strong voice in the development and use of AI,” and the union cast the academy as a way to keep educators involved as schools adopt the technology. Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith said in the same announcement that teachers should be prepared to use AI “wisely, ethically and safely.” (aft.org) The AFT’s academy materials say the partnership is meant to put educators and union members “at the center” of how artificial intelligence is used in public education and labor. AFT’s FAQ says the union joined Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic out of “strategic necessity,” arguing that educators risk being excluded from decisions that affect schools if they are not involved in how tools are built and deployed. (aft.org) ### What, exactly, are teachers supposed to learn there? The National Academy for AI Instruction says it is a training hub designed by educators and grounded in safety and “people-first technology.” AFT’s overview says the academy will function as a training center, innovation lab and policy resource focused on AI fluency, privacy, equity and classroom use. AFT’s resource page says the program is paired with “Commonsense Guardrails for Using Advanced Technology in Schools,” including standards on privacy, transparency, equity and human-centered learning. (aft.org) The union says the academy will host policy labs, develop resources and convene educators and union leaders to test and shape how AI tools are used in schools and workplaces. ### Why has the funding arrangement drawn scrutiny? (aiinstruction.aft.org) The $23 million figure stands out because the academy is financed with direct support from Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic, according to AFT and partner statements. The union has described the arrangement as the first partnership between a national union and tech companies to create what it called a sustainable education infrastructure for AI. (aiinstruction.aft.org) AFT’s own FAQ acknowledges the concern directly, saying the union is not partnering with the companies out of “blind trust.” The document says the union’s position is that AI is already reshaping schools and labor policy, and that organized labor should influence how the tools are used rather than remain outside the process. ### How big is the program, and who is it aimed at first? (aft.org) OpenAI said the initiative is a five-year effort to equip 400,000 K-12 educators — about one in 10 U.S. teachers, by its estimate — to use AI and help shape how it is taught in classrooms. AFT’s launch materials describe a broader audience of 1.8 million union members, with K-12 educators first in line for training and curriculum access. The United Federation of Teachers’ Manhattan headquarters is the academy’s base, according to AFT materials, and the public-facing academy site says training, resources and partnership information are available online. (aft.org) AFT’s resource pages also say the program will continue publishing guardrails and other materials for educators as districts and schools set their own rules for AI use. (aft.org) (openai.com)