The US has developed an AI safety standard for schools

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), and Microsoft have announced the adoption of the «National AI Safety and Privacy Standard». The document establishes legally binding data protection measures and rules for the use of artificial intelligence in schools.

The agreement stipulates that U.S. school districts will be able to incorporate the established requirements into contracts with Microsoft (a company that works with a very large number of American schools), giving those requirements legal force. School districts will retain the right to terminate contracts and seek compensation in the event of a violation of the agreed rights. The new standard sets requirements specifically for schools' interactions with Microsoft, and company representatives assert that such a document should establish common benchmarks in the areas of children's privacy and AI safety.

What the standard entails and how it will protect students

• Student and educator data must not be used to train AI models, sold, or used for any other purposes.
• Schools retain control over how information is collected, used, stored, and deleted.
• A ban is established on tracking students and on AI systems making decisions without human involvement.
• Maximum transparency: technology companies must provide educators and parents with clear information about how the tools in use work, what data is collected, potential risks and protective measures, and promptly notify schools of any changes to their products.
• AI systems must be designed with privacy protection in mind and to prevent harmful or manipulative use cases.

In essence, all requirements have been consolidated into three main areas:

1. Privacy protection,
2. Safety and human oversight,
3. Transparency and school oversight.

Once the agreement is adopted, legally binding requirements are to replace the non-binding recommendations that could previously be developed locally on an essentially ad hoc basis.

The American Federation of Teachers has long sought to regulate the use of digital devices and AI in American schools. For example, they have called for avoiding screens through second grade, refraining from using AI with elementary school students, and banning chatbots for students under 16. In 2024, the AFT published a document outlining nine principles for the use of advanced technologies in schools, and in 2025 announced the creation of the National Academy for AI Teaching, focused on preparing educators to use AI and on issues of its safety and privacy.