Microsoft has introduced new privacy and safety standards for artificial intelligence (AI) technology in schools across the United States. This agreement, signed last week, comes in the wake of an agreement with the second-largest teachers' union in the country, amid rising concerns about the negative impacts of AI and screen time.
Restrictions on the Use of AI Tools
This agreement is legally binding and prohibits the use of AI robots or features designed "to create emotional dependency or attachment." Additionally, these standards include third-party audits to ensure compliance. As part of this agreement, Microsoft has emphasized that it will not use student or teacher data to train AI systems, except in specific cases that may help protect students.
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Impact on European Classrooms
This move by Microsoft comes as AI gradually enters European classrooms, with young people increasingly turning to chatbots beyond schoolwork. A European Commission study on early adopters in secondary schools in Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Spain shows that students are using AI to explain difficult subjects and prepare for exams.
At the same time, some European governments are imposing restrictions on young students' use of this technology. For example, Norway recently announced that children aged six to twelve should generally not use AI alone for schoolwork, while those aged 13 to 15 can cautiously experiment with the technology. France also allows students to learn about AI at an early age but has banned direct use of it.
Given these developments, do European schools also need similar practices? This question arises as OpenAI and Anthropic are also in discussions with the teachers' union to establish similar standards. With concerns about security and privacy on the rise, there is a felt need for stronger frameworks for the use of AI in education.
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