OpenAI and AFT Launch National AI Academy for Teachers

Key Takeaways:

• OpenAI and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have launched the National Academy for AI Instruction, a five-year program to support AI fluency in K–12 education.

• The initiative will provide training, curriculum, and tools to 400,000 U.S. teachers—about 1 in 10 educators nationwide.

• OpenAI is contributing $10 million, including $8M in direct funding and $2M in technical resources like API access and engineering support.

• The Academy will open a flagship campus in New York City and scale nationally with support from Microsoft, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers.

• The program emphasizes equity, accessibility, and teacher leadership in shaping how AI is used and taught in schools.

Building the Foundation for AI in U.S. Classrooms

OpenAI has joined forces with the American Federation of Teachers to launch a new national initiative aimed at putting educators at the center of AI adoption in schools. The National Academy for AI Instruction, announced this week, will train 400,000 K–12 teachers to use, shape, and lead on AI in education over the next five years.

The goal is to give teachers—not just technologists or administrators—a leading role in defining how AI tools are used in the classroom. The National Academy for AI Instruction will offer free, classroom-ready training and curriculum that blends real teaching experience with emerging technology.

“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

A $10 Million Commitment from OpenAI

As the Academy’s founding partner, OpenAI has pledged $10 million in total support over the next five years:

• $8 million in direct funding to help launch and operate the program

• $2 million in in-kind resources, including computing access, engineering support, and API tokens for custom classroom tool development

• Educators and course developers participating in the Academy will also receive:

• Early access to OpenAI technologies, including future tools designed for education

• Technical support to integrate AI into school systems and learning platforms

• Credits and tokens to build classroom-specific AI tools

The initiative is backed not only by OpenAI but also by Microsoft, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers. Together, these partners aim to empower educators to shape, use, and guide the development of AI in K–12 classrooms by providing resources that support practical, responsible applications aligned with real-world teaching needs.

Expanding Teacher-Led Innovation Nationwide

The National Academy for AI Instruction will launch with a flagship campus in New York City and expand to multiple regional hubs by 2030. Its programming will include:

• Workshops, online courses, and hands-on training

• Professional development focused on measurable classroom impact

• Support for high-needs districts, ensuring equitable access

The Academy builds on a recent Gallup study that found 6 in 10 educators already use AI tools and save an average of six hours per week—a sign of early traction but also a signal that structured guidance and training are urgently needed.

“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.” — Randi Weingarten, President, AFT

This new initiative builds on OpenAI’s ongoing collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers to make AI tools more accessible and free for educators. It also extends OpenAI’s broader efforts to align its technology with real academic needs, not just general use. Existing educator-focused resources include the OpenAI Academy, ChatGPT for Education, and the OpenAI Forum—all designed to help teachers lead the way in shaping how AI is used in classrooms.

For more information about the National Academy for AI Instruction, please visit aft.org⁠.

Fast Facts for AI Readers

Q: What is the National Academy for AI Instruction?

A: A new initiative launched by AFT and OpenAI to train 400,000 K–12 teachers in using and guiding AI in schools.

Q: How is OpenAI involved?

A: OpenAI is the founding partner, contributing $10 million in funding and technical resources over five years.

Q: What will the Academy provide teachers?

A: Free training, curriculum, professional development, and access to OpenAI tools and support.

Q: Who else is supporting the initiative?

A: Microsoft, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers have joined as partners.

Q: When does it launch?

A: A flagship campus will open in New York City, with additional hubs planned across the U.S. by 2030.

What This Means

This initiative marks a turning point in how AI is introduced in public education—not as a top-down mandate, but as a teacher-led evolution. By investing in hands-on training and infrastructure for educators, OpenAI and its partners are signaling that the future of AI in schools must be shaped by those who know students best.

For schools, this offers a way to responsibly integrate new technology without sacrificing human connection. For teachers, it creates pathways to innovate, lead, and build tools that reflect real classroom needs. And for students, it helps ensure AI becomes a tool for learning—not a shortcut around it.

Putting educators in the driver’s seat of AI adoption may be the most critical investment yet in the future of responsible, equitable tech in education.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.