Several days in the past, information broke out about Microsoft scrapping knowledge in Office paperwork to coach its AI fashions and making it very laborious to decide out. While the overall reaction used to be generally destructive, some customers spotted that the file used to be no longer slightly correct. It grew to become out they have been proper.

Microsoft has spoke back to allegations and clarified that it does no longer use consumer knowledge from Office paperwork for AI coaching. “Optional connected experiences,” the function that used to be accused of knowledge scrapping, does no longer relay your record knowledge to Microsoft. It is most effective used for added on-line features in Office merchandise, similar to cloud fonts, templates, climate on calendar, co-authoring, and extra.

Some customers spoke back to the file with a hyperlink to the reliable documentation describing what “Connected experiences in Office” imply, and Microsoft showed that during its personal answer on X (by way of The Verge):

While the reliable documentation is beautiful simple, it’s simple to know why some other folks were given spooked. It says that hooked up reviews “analyze your content,” and a few falsely assumed that suggests AI knowledge coaching. These days, with each and every tech corporate obsessive about AI to oblivion, it isn’t sudden to peer other folks overreacting to the loss of transparency.

It is excellent to peer Microsoft clarifying the placement and striking an finish to faux information. However, it will be great for the corporate to replace its documentation in order that it explicitly states that Office apps don’t ship your knowledge for AI coaching. Adobe used to be pressured to try this no longer goodbye in the past, and it seems find it irresistible is now Microsoft’s flip.