Microsoft signs an AI standard with two teachers' unions that can be enforceable in school contracts

Prohibition of training models on student data, no individual monitoring, no decision without human supervision: commitments become contractual from November 1st.

On September 9, the president of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten, the president of the United Federation of Teachers Michael Mulgrew and the vice-president of Microsoft Brad Smith announced a "National AI Safety & Privacy Standard" for American schools. Originality is not in the list of principles, but in their legal scope.

The text prohibits the use of student data to train models, prohibits individual tracking, requires that no decision be taken without human supervision and requires providers to explain in plain language, both to teachers and parents, the operation of their tools.

Effective November 1, 2026, Microsoft will offer these protections to all school districts in the United States, which will be able to integrate them into an existing or new contract without renegotiating or renewing the comprehensive agreement. Once included, they become enforceable. The agreement, presented as a first of its kind after months of negotiation, is intended as a response to the absence of federal or state rules on AI at school.