Philippines expands AI access for 1 million teachers via Microsoft partnership

The Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) is expanding its use of artificial intelligence in public schools through a partnership with Microsoft. The initiative will provide 1 million Filipino teachers with access to Microsoft Copilot to assist with administrative and pedagogical tasks.

Teachers will use the AI assistant to prepare lesson plans and assessments, draft communications, and summarize student progress. The goal is to reduce administrative burdens, allowing educators more time to focus on student engagement and instruction. The program follows a nationwide training initiative that saw significant participation from educators.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara stated that the partnership aims to support learning recovery and prepare students for an AI-driven world. The training sessions also emphasize responsible-use safeguards to ensure AI serves as a tool to support, rather than replace, professional teacher judgment.