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ICYMI: AFT Reaches Landmark AI Privacy Agreement with Microsoft
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2026
CONTACT:
Marco Guajardo, 956-206-2134, mguajardo@texasaft.org
ICYMI: AFT Reaches Landmark AI Privacy Agreement with Microsoft
The standard will protect students, empower educators, and provide transparency to families
AUSTIN, Texas – Last week, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten announced the “National AI Safety & Privacy Standard,” developed in collaboration with Microsoft and AFT’s National Academy for AI Instruction. Read more about how the standard protects students and educators in AFT’s fact sheet.
“With proper safeguards in place, AI can be a powerful tool to support student success. This landmark agreement with Microsoft balances the possibilities of AI with the safety and privacy of students and educators. Under this agreement, tech companies have the opportunity to show us that they are willing to be responsible partners in AI development and use,” said Zeph Capo, President of Texas AFT. “I’m proud to serve alongside Randi Weingarten and so many education leaders on the National Academy for AI Instruction board and to continue the work on thoughtful policy governing AI use in public schools.”
Key Points:
The first-of-its-kind standard ensures that tech companies who sign the agreement cannot use student data to train AI, cannot track students, cannot enable AI to make decisions without human oversight, and must give educators and parents transparency and plain-language answers about how their tools work. Companies must report breaches and fix any violations within 72 hours, or AI use is paused or ended.
This agreement ensures three foundational goals: to protect the privacy and data of children and educators, to give schools real control over AI tools in the classroom, and to provide transparency and information to parents.
Beginning November 1, districts will have the ability to add the AI Safety & Privacy Standard protections to both new and existing contracts with Microsoft.
AFT will continue to advocate against AI-facing tools, including companion chat bots, for young learners and for devices-down, eyes-up, and hands-on education policies.
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The Texas American Federation of Teachers represents 66,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.8-million-member American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO.
