On a sweltering Saturday in Texas, dozens of teachers gathered in San Antonio not for rest — but to learn how artificial intelligence could reshape classrooms. The event, led by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), is part of a new national initiative backed by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, which are pouring millions into AI training programs for U.S. educators.
Under a deal announced in July, Microsoft pledged $12.5 million, OpenAI $10 million, and Anthropic $500,000 to build AI training hubs, starting with one in New York City, to teach 400,000 educators over five years. The National Education Association (NEA), the country’s largest teachers union, struck a similar deal with Microsoft, aiming to train 10,000 teachers this year.
Grammy winner Laufey debuts as children’s author with ‘Mei Mei The Bunny’
Unions say educators — not corporations — will design the training, covering AI ethics, privacy, and classroom tools. But the partnerships also give Big Tech a foothold in schools as AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft CoPilot gain traction.
Teachers at the San Antonio workshop tested AI to translate texts, adapt lessons, and create storybooks, calling the tools “game-changing.”
“AI is part of our world,” said trainer Kathleen Torregrossa. “We have to prepare kids for that future.”
Source: AP