Collaboration of AFT with OpenAI on AI Academy: Key Points Explained

Collaboration of AFT with OpenAI on AI Academy: Key Points Explained

The National Academy for AI Instruction Launches in Manhattan, New York

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), United Federation of Teachers (UFT), Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic have joined forces to create the National Academy for AI Instruction, a groundbreaking education initiative aimed at bridging the gap between educators and tech designers. The academy, set to launch in fall 2025, will be based in a state-of-the-art physical facility in Manhattan, New York, with an online component to accommodate educators nationwide.

With a budget of $23 million, the academy aims to provide free AI training and curriculum to all 1.8 million AFT members, starting with K-12 educators. The goal is to train around 400,000 teachers over five years, impacting over 7 million students across the United States.

The academy's structure will include in-person instruction at the Manhattan hub, as well as online components such as workshops, online courses, and hands-on training sessions. It will offer credential pathways and continuing education credits. Through OpenAI’s involvement, educators will gain priority access to educational AI technology, tokens, and API credits for creating customized classroom tools, and technical support integrating AI into learning platforms and school systems.

Addressing teachers' skepticism and concerns about AI use in classrooms, the academy prioritizes providing structured, accessible, and practical AI training. It emphasizes wise, ethical, and safe AI navigation, ensuring teacher control over how AI tools are used. The academy's approach is different from top-down AI instruction programs, focusing on a partnership between a national union and tech companies that puts educators in the driver’s seat.

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 virtual work, and spaces 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.

Big Tech has been criticized for ignoring concerns about the impact of technology on classroom environments and student mental health. The academy's focus on privacy, safety, and teacher choice aims to address these concerns, ensuring that AI is used in a way that benefits both educators and students.

Weil, a spokesperson for the AFT, encourages skeptical teachers to work with the academy and see if the tools fit their classroom needs. Participation in the AI training provided by the AFT tends to make teachers less skeptical about AI. Some teachers are skeptical about AI in the classroom due to past experiences with technology, but the academy's emphasis on practical uses and ethical navigation aims to alleviate these concerns.

The National Academy for AI Instruction is a new national academy for teachers, launched in partnership with OpenAI, Microsoft, and the United Federation of Teachers (a New York City teachers union). The academy will leverage the existing user base of the Share My Lesson website, which has more than 2 million unique users, to reach a wide audience of educators. The academy will focus on practical uses of AI in classrooms and worksites, opening a two-way dialog between educators and tech designers to prevent a disconnect between the two groups.

1. The National Academy for AI Instruction, a collaboration between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), United Federation of Teachers (UFT), Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, will offer free AI training and curriculum to teachers, aiming to impact over 7 million students across the United States.
2. The academy, which will launch in fall 2025, will be based in a physical facility in Manhattan, New York, equipped with multiple classrooms, AI labs, and a studio for podcasting and virtual work.
3. Through OpenAI’s involvement, educators will gain priority access to educational AI technology, tokens, and API credits for creating customized classroom tools, and technical support integrating AI into learning platforms and school systems.
4. The academy will prioritize providing structured, accessible, and practical AI training, focusing on wise, ethical, and safe AI navigation, ensuring teacher control over how AI tools are used.
5. By leveraging the existing user base of the Share My Lesson website and focusing on practical uses of AI in classrooms and worksites, the academy aims to prevent a disconnect between educators and tech designers, fostering education and self-development through technology and artificial-intelligence.

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