Microsoft Plans Free AI Access Across Washington Schools and Colleges

Microsoft has launched the Elevate Washington initiative to bridge the AI opportunity gap in education across the state by providing free access to AI tools and training. The program offers three years of free access to Copilot Studio, Copilot Chat, Microsoft 365 apps, and Teams for Education to all Washington public school districts and community colleges, alongside $25,000 grants to select districts and colleges for AI tool development. Microsoft President Brad Smith highlighted the stark urban-rural AI usage divide in Washington, emphasizing that AI proficiency will be critical for future economic success. The initiative aims to make Washington a national model for equitable AI adoption in education by integrating AI into learning and administrative tasks, thereby enhancing digital literacy and supporting educators. This move is part of Microsoft's broader $4 billion investment in technology grants and AI training nationwide over five years. While some debate the role of AI in classrooms, Microsoft positions the program as essential to preparing students for an AI-driven economy.