AI Academy for Teachers

OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic have partnered with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) to launch the National Academy for A.I. Instruction. This initiative aims to train educators in effectively using AI tools in classrooms. The academy, backed by $23 million in funding, will offer hands-on workshops for teachers, starting in autumn at the United Federation of Teachers' headquarters in Manhattan.

The five-year program intends to train 400,000 educators, approximately 10% of the US teaching workforce, scaling nationally from its New York hub. Microsoft is contributing $12.5 million, OpenAI is providing $8 million plus $2 million in technical resources, and Anthropic is adding $500,000. The academy will provide teachers with practical experience using AI tools for lesson planning, quiz creation, and simplifying complex research materials.

The initiative seeks to address the lack of adequate professional development for AI among educators. By placing teachers at the centre of innovation, the AFT and its partners aim to ensure that students learn how to use AI wisely and purposefully. The goal is to equip educators with the skills to guide students and set clear boundaries for technology use in the classroom.