Microsoft is bringing synthetic intelligence to each public classroom in its dwelling state — and sparking new questions on its function in schooling.
The Redmond tech big on Thursday unveiled Microsoft Elevate Washington, a sweeping new initiative that may present free entry to AI-powered software program and coaching for all 295 public faculty districts and 34 group and technical schools throughout Washington state.
This system is a part of Microsoft Elevate, the corporate’s broader $4 billion, five-year dedication to assist faculties and nonprofits with AI instruments and coaching that was announced in July.
The Washington-specific effort represents the corporate’s largest single funding per resident wherever on the earth.
“That is our dwelling,” Microsoft President Brad Smith mentioned at a launch occasion on the corporate’s headquarters campus. “A giant a part of what we’re doing in the present day is investing in our dwelling.”
Some particulars concerning the new program:
- The corporate will provide its Copilot Studio device — used to create customized AI brokers with out coding — freed from cost for 3 years starting in January 2026 to high school districts and group schools.
- Highschool college students will get Copilot Chat, Microsoft 365 desktop apps, Studying Accelerators, and Groups for Training for gratis for 3 years beginning in July 2026.
- Group school college students will obtain a 12 months of Microsoft 365 Private with Copilot integration.
- Microsoft will fund $25,000 consulting grants for as much as 10 faculty districts and 10 group schools to assist them deploy AI instruments.
- The corporate will accomplice with state companies and trainer unions to ship skilled improvement applications and bootcamps for educators.
Smith described the hassle as an try to shut what Microsoft sees as an rising divide throughout the state. Greater than 30% of residents in counties within the Seattle space already use AI instruments, in contrast with lower than 10% in a number of rural japanese counties, based on knowledge Smith shared on Thursday.
“Basically, what we’re seeing isn’t solely a expertise hole — what we’re actually seeing is a chance hole,” he mentioned.
This system additionally arrives amid rising uncertainty — and controversy — about the role of AI in education.
Advocates argue that AI can personalize studying, scale back administrative workloads, and assist lecturers tailor classes to particular person college students. Critics warn that it may undermine studying and widen inequities, particularly when college students grow to be overly reliant on AI-generated solutions.
Smith mentioned Microsoft understands the unease round AI in school rooms however argued that ready isn’t an possibility.
“I don’t know that it will likely be attainable to decelerate using AI, even when somebody wished to,” he mentioned. “You already see a 3rd of the oldsters within the state utilizing it, and I feel that utilization goes to proceed to speed up, particularly amongst folks which can be youthful. So if something, I feel that is about serving to the group catch up in ways in which do present the form of steering that’s wanted.”
He emphasised the necessity for “guardrails” round when and the way AI is utilized in school rooms — and underscored that Microsoft doesn’t search to dictate schooling coverage. “The world is not going to profit by placing tech corporations in command of schooling,” Smith mentioned. “We all know our place.”
This system features a steering committee made up of leaders from Microsoft, schooling, and authorities.
For Microsoft, Elevate Washington is each a philanthropic and strategic transfer. The corporate stands to deepen its long-term presence in Washington school rooms, introducing AI instruments to the subsequent technology of staff whereas positioning its merchandise as foundational to digital studying.
It additionally reinforces Microsoft’s picture as a civic and financial pillar of Washington state — whilst its relationship with policymakers has proven pressure. Smith this 12 months has criticized state leaders over Washington’s method to taxation and what he describes as a disappearance of financial improvement from the political agenda.
On Thursday, his tone was targeted on collaboration. The corporate is working with the Workplace of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington Training Affiliation, and different companions to coach educators statewide. Microsoft may also encourage staff to volunteer via applications akin to Code.org’s “Hour of AI” to show digital literacy.
Requested about how a lot Microsoft is investing in Elevate Washington, Smith advised GeekWire he didn’t have a particular quantity however added that “it’s not small.”
Talking at an occasion in July about Microsoft Elevate, Smith described it as the subsequent technology of Microsoft Philanthropies, bringing collectively the corporate’s longstanding charitable and group engagement initiatives.
That announcement got here per week after Microsoft confirmed it will cut another 4% of its workforce — about 9,000 jobs globally — as a part of a broader effectivity push. Since mid-Could, the corporate has reduce about 15,000 jobs worldwide, together with over 3,100 in Washington state.
The Elevate program underscores Microsoft’s twin function as each a number one pressure in AI improvement and an organization navigating the disruptive penalties of the expertise it’s creating.
The occasion on Thursday additionally included comic Trevor Noah, the corporate’s “chief questions officer,” in addition to Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi and a panel of Washington educators. We’ll have extra protection in a while GeekWire.
