American teaching unions, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), have reached a legally binding agreement with Microsoft to establish the National AI Safety & Privacy Standard. This agreement comes after the failure of federal legislation to regulate AI use in schools, prompting the unions to take direct action. The deal aims to provide clear protections for student and teacher data, ensuring that AI tools used in education do not compromise privacy or safety. The AFT is also discussing similar standards with other major AI companies, such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Under the National AI Safety & Privacy Standard, Microsoft has agreed not to use student or teacher data to train or improve its AI models. Additionally, the data collected by Microsoft will not be sold or monetized. The agreement also seeks to reduce screen time for students and balance technology use across different age groups. These measures reflect an effort to find a middle ground between the benefits of AI in education and the concerns surrounding its use. The agreement follows a wave of local restrictions on AI in schools. For example, New York City and Los Angeles have both placed temporary bans on AI use in their school systems. AFT President Randi Weingarten emphasized the importance of the new agreement, stating it provides "real teeth" to protect students and families. She noted that the federal government has not taken the necessary steps to regulate AI in education, leaving the responsibility to local educators and unions. The National AI Safety & Privacy Standard addresses multiple concerns, including data privacy, screen time, and the ethical use of AI. It ensures that schools have control over AI tools used in classrooms and that parents are informed about how their children’s data is handled. The agreement also mandates that AI systems be monitored by humans to prevent harmful actions and protect sensitive information. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said the standard sets a high bar for child privacy and AI safety, and the company plans to extend the agreement to all school districts nationwide.