For educators, AI can be a powerful ally, helping free up more time for the truly human work of teaching. Recent Gallup study⁠(opens in a new window) showed that 6 in 10 educators are already using an AI tool and report saving an average of six hours per week. But it also raises new challenges: how to ensure AI enhances rather than bypasses teaching, and how to help students foster critical thinking when answers are instantly accessible.

Now is the time to ensure Al empowers educators, students, and schools. For this to happen, teachers must lead the conversation around how to best harness its potential.

It is for this purpose that we join the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) as the founding partner for the launch of the National Academy for AI Instruction, a five-year initiative to equip 400,000 K-12 educators, about one in every 10 teachers in the US, to use AI and lead the way in shaping how AI is used and taught in classrooms across the country.

As the first partner to pledge support, OpenAI is contributing $10 million over five years—$8 million in direct funding, and $2 million in in-kind resources including engineering support, computing access, and technical guidance to help teachers build and use AI tools in real classrooms. OpenAI is joined by the United Federation of Teachers, Microsoft, and Anthropic in supporting the initiative. Our shared goal is simple: to support teachers in shaping, using, and guiding the development of AI in K-12 education.

These investments will help establish a flagship facility in New York City and support the launch of additional hubs around the US by 2030. The Academy will serve as a national hub for free training and curriculum, combining real classroom expertise with cutting-edge technology. The Academy will also fund and deliver professional development opportunities that prioritize equity, accessibility, and measurable impact in K-12 education. 

Over the next five years, the Academy will:

• Support over 400,000 educators across the US in developing practical AI fluency by 2030
• Offer workshops, online courses, and hands-on training sessions
• Prioritize broad access and tangible benefits, especially in high-needs school districts
• Launch a flagship campus in New York City, and scale nationally 

Through OpenAI’s support, educators and course developers will get:

• Priority access to OpenAI’s technology and future tools designed for education
• Tokens and API credits to build custom, classroom-specific tools that support educators
• Technical support to integrate AI tools into the Academy’s learning platform and into schools’ learning systems

“Growing up in Saint Louis, my high school computer science lab is where I first got curious about AI—mostly thanks to an incredible teacher who pushed me to experiment, even if I broke a few things along the way. Educators make the difference, and they should lead this next shift with AI. We’re here to support them.” —Sam Altman, Co-founder & CEO, OpenAI 

“AI holds tremendous promise but huge challenges—and it’s our job as educators to make sure AI serves our students and society, not the other way around. The direct connection between a teacher and their kids can never be replaced by new technologies, but if we learn how to harness it, set commonsense guardrails and put teachers in the driver’s seat, teaching and learning can be enhanced.” —Randi Weingarten, President, AFT 

This initiative builds on our ongoing work between OpenAI and AFT to support free and accessible tools for educators and help them lead the way in shaping how AI is used in the classroom. It also builds on OpenAI’s work to make our tools more responsive to real academic needs⁠. Additional existing resources available to educators include the OpenAI Academy⁠(opens in a new window), ChatGPT for Education⁠(opens in a new window), and the OpenAI Forum⁠(opens in a new window).  

OpenAI is also the proud co-sponsor of the upcoming AFT AI Symposium to be held July 24 in Washington, DC.

For more information about the National Academy for AI Instruction, please visit www.aft.org⁠(opens in a new window).