Collaboration Announced Between AFT and OpenAI for AI Learning Program: Key Details Revealed
The National Academy for AI Instruction, a new initiative aimed at bridging the gap between education and artificial intelligence (AI), is set to launch in the fall of 2025. Based in Manhattan, New York, the academy will offer a combination of in-person and online training to K-12 educators across the United States, with a focus on practical applications of AI in the classroom and worksite.
The academy is the result of a partnership between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, a New York City teachers union. The academy aims to address concerns about privacy, safety, and teacher choice, emphasizing a collaborative approach between educators and tech professionals.
Some teachers have expressed skepticism about technology, including AI, due to past experiences with Big Tech. To address this, the academy encourages skeptical teachers to work with them and see if their offerings fit their classroom needs. The academy will prioritize a two-way dialogue between educators and technology designers to prevent disconnects and ensure the technology serves the needs of students and teachers.
The physical space for the academy will be approximately 20,000 square feet, featuring multiple classrooms, meeting rooms, AI labs, a studio for podcasting and other virtual work, and areas for teachers and developers to collaborate. However, the physical space will not be ready by the fall when the academy begins, and initial sessions will take place in temporary spaces.
To accommodate educators who cannot travel to New York City, the academy will have a robust virtual program. Alongside the bricks-and-mortar center, the academy will offer extensive online workshops, courses, and hands-on training sessions, prioritizing equity, accessibility, and measurable impact in high-needs school districts.
The academy will also partner with the AFT's Share My Lesson website for online resources. While the specifics of this partnership are not yet clear, the academy's goal is to create a sustainable education infrastructure for AI, with a plan to support over 400,000 teachers nationwide by 2030.
Big Tech has been criticized for ignoring concerns about the impact of technology on the classroom environment and student mental health. The National Academy for AI Instruction aims to address these concerns by focusing on practical applications of AI, ensuring privacy, safety, and teacher choice, and fostering a collaborative approach between educators and tech professionals.
[1] National Academy for AI Instruction Launches in Fall 2025. (2023, May 1). Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/k-12/national-academy-for-ai-instruction-launches-in-fall-2025/2023/05 [2] National Academy for AI Instruction: A New Initiative for K-12 Educators. (2023, April 15). Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/national-academy-for-ai-instruction-k-12-educators [3] National Academy for AI Instruction: A Collaborative Approach to AI Education. (2023, May 10). Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/national-academy-for-ai-instruction-collaborative-approach [4] National Academy for AI Instruction: Addressing Teacher Skepticism About AI. (2023, May 15). Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/national-academy-for-ai-instruction-addressing-teacher-skepticism
- The National Academy for AI Instruction, launching in fall 2025, will offer both in-person and virtual training to K-12 educators, focusing on practical AI applications in education and self-development.
- Designed to bridge the gap between education and artificial intelligence, the academy will prioritize a collaborative approach between educators and tech professionals to ensure technology serves the needs of students and teachers.
- Located in Manhattan, New York, the academy's physical space will include multiple classrooms, AI labs, and collaboration areas, but initial sessions will take place in temporary spaces due to construction delays.
- To accommodate educators who cannot travel, the academy will provide extensive online workshops, courses, and hands-on training sessions, prioritizing equity, accessibility, and impact in high-needs school districts.
- The National Academy for AI Instruction aims to address concerns about technology's impact on the classroom environment and student mental health through a focus on practical AI applications, ensuring privacy, safety, and teacher choice.
