[1]theodp writes:

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>> GeekWire

> reports that Microsoft is [2]bringing artificial intelligence to every public classroom in its home state -- and sparking new questions about its role in education. The Redmond tech giant on Thursday unveiled [3]Microsoft Elevate Washington , a sweeping new initiative that will provide free access to AI-powered software and training for all 295 public school districts and 34 community and technical colleges across Washington state. The program is part of [4]Microsoft Elevate , the company's broader $4 billion, five-year commitment to support schools and nonprofits with AI tools and training that was announced in July.

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> "This is our home," Microsoft President Brad Smith said at a launch event on the company's headquarters campus. "A big part of what we're doing today is investing in our home." Smith said Microsoft understands the unease around AI in classrooms but argued that waiting isn't an option. "I don't know that it will be possible to slow down the use of AI, even if someone wanted to," he said. In an [5]interview with KING-TV Seattle , Smith added, "We're making a bigger commitment to this state than we are to any state in the country. [...] Above all else, we want to ensure that people can learn how to use the technology of tomorrow. That's the only way for our kids to succeed in the future."

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> The event on Thursday also included comedian Trevor Noah, the company's " [6]chief questions officer," as well as Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi. Noah and Partovi both also appeared with Smith at the Microsoft Elevate launch event in July, where Smith told Partovi it was time to " [7]switch hats" from coding to AI , adding that "the last 12 years have been about the Hour of Code [Code.org's flagship event, credited with pushing CS into K-12 classrooms], but the future involves the [8]Hour of AI ." Code.org last month committed to " [9]engage 25M learners in an Hour of AI in school year '25/'26" at a [10]meeting of the White House Task Force on AI Education that preceded a [11]White House dinner for top execs from the nation's leading AI companies.



[1] https://slashdot.org/~theodp

[2] https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-to-provide-free-copilot-tools-for-washington-state-schools-amid-debate-over-ais-role-in-learning/

[3] https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/10/09/microsoft-elevate-washington/

[4] https://slashdot.org/story/25/07/09/176219/microsoft-pledges-4-billion-for-ai-education-training-programs

[5] https://www.msn.com/

[6] https://nypost.com/2024/07/09/tech/trevor-noahs-ties-to-microsoft-under-scrutiny/

[7] https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/08/10/0110212/hour-of-code-announces-its-now-evolving-into-hour-of-ai

[8] https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/10/03/1515258/tech-companies-to-k-12-schoolchildren-learn-to-ai-is-the-new-learn-to-code

[9] https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/09/major-organizations-commit-to-supporting-ai-education/

[10] https://www.msn.com/

[11] https://www.geekwire.com/2025/heres-what-bill-gates-and-satya-nadella-told-president-trump-at-the-white-house-tech-summit/