AFT, Tech Giants Launch $23M AI Teacher Academy

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, has launched the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative to train U.S. K-12 educators in the practical, ethical, and safe use of AI in classrooms. The academy, headquartered in New York City, will offer free virtual and in-person workshops, online courses, and hands-on training, aiming to reach 400,000 teachers over five years. Programming is developed by both AI experts and educators, and the initiative will expand to additional training hubs by 2030. Funding includes $12.5 million from Microsoft, $10 million from OpenAI, and $500,000 in the first year from Anthropic. The effort emphasizes responsible AI use and the importance of maintaining the teacher-student relationship. This initiative comes amid growing national focus on integrating AI technology into schools.