Microsoft will supply its artificial intelligence technology to every public school district and community college in Washington next year, part of a nationwide campaign to spread AI training and usage.

The Redmond-based tech giant announced the move this week as part of its Microsoft Elevate Washington initiative, the local effort of its commitment to spend $4 billion in technology-focused grants and free access to AI tools in education nationwide over the next five years.

In Washington, Microsoft is not only providing access to AI tools and training to 295 school districts and 34 community and technical colleges, but offering $25,000 grants to help create and deploy AI tools. Up to 10 school districts and 10 community colleges are able to receive the grants.

AI in education is already a debate. Proponents of the technology's use in classrooms argue that the workforce is already adopting it, so students had better be ready. Skeptics, wary of introducing more automation to classrooms, worry that AI could make it easier for students to cheat and harder to retain information.

Microsoft's Elevate initiative shows the company is on the side of the proponents.

AI is starting to reshape the economy, locally, nationally and globally," Microsoft President Brad Smith told The Seattle Times this week in a video interview. "There's a lot still unknown, but it seems more than likely that those who know how to use AI are likely to fare better than those who don't."

Smith said the data Microsoft collects shows a stark divide between urban and rural counties in Washington, which is why the company is bringing its technology to all school districts.

In counties with larger cities, like King, Pierce, Snohomish and Whatcom, more than 30% of the working-age population use AI. That usage drops to between 0% and 10% for some rural counties in Eastern Washington.

"What we're seeing is not just a technology gap, but an opportunity gap," Smith said.

Through the program, public school students in Washington will receive Copilot Chat, Microsoft 365 desktop apps, Learning Accelerators and Teams for Education for up to three years starting in July 2026. All community college students will receive a year of Microsoft 365 Personal, which includes a suite of Microsoft Office products, all equipped with the AI-powered Copilot feature.

Microsoft is also providing AI-specific training to teachers, by working with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Washington Education Association. That training will include how to use AI in the classroom and how to teach AI skills.

"For parents who have kids in high school, this is hopefully good news," Smith said. "It means the teachers and the kids themselves will have broader access to AI technology because they live in Washington state."

Microsoft's offer to Washington's education system is another step in Smith's decades-long campaign to fashion the company as the state's benevolent corporate partner, but it has a vested interest as well. The success of Microsoft's long bet on AI is hinged upon widespread familiarity and usage.

The broader initiative, Microsoft Elevate, is also a nod from the company that increased automation for AI can potentially disrupt the workforce.

"We want to ensure that Washington not only remains a national hub for technology and entrepreneurship, but that our students are among the most prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, Smith said.

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