Microsoft has denied claims that it makes use of Microsoft 365 apps (together with Phrase, Excel, and PowerPoint) to gather information to coach the corporate’s synthetic intelligence (AI) fashions.
This comes after a Tumblr weblog put up claiming that Redmond used a “Related Experiences” characteristic to scrape clients’ Phrase and Excel information for AI coaching unfold on social media.
“Microsoft doesn’t use buyer information from Microsoft 365 shopper and business functions to coach giant language fashions. Moreover, the Related Providers setting has no connection to how Microsoft trains giant language fashions,” a Microsoft spokesperson advised BleepingComputer on Monday.
The corporate additionally advised BleepingComputer that this optionally available setting has been on by default because it was made out there in April 2019.
“The Related Experiences characteristic permits options like co-authoring, real-time grammar recommendations, and web-based sources,” BleepingComputer was advised.
“These options are on by default as a result of they’re options individuals naturally anticipate in a cloud-connected productiveness instrument. Nevertheless, clients all the time have management and may modify their Related Experiences settings at any time.”
As Microsoft explains on its assist web site, the characteristic is used to:
- Present design suggestions, modifying recommendations, or information insights primarily based on the Workplace content material, by options like PowerPoint Designer or Translator,
- Or obtain on-line content material templates, photos, 3D fashions, movies, and reference supplies, together with however not restricted to Workplace templates or PowerPoint QuickStarter.
To toggle this characteristic on or off, Microsoft 365 customers should open their Workplace apps (like Phrase or Excel) and select whether or not to allow or disable experiences that obtain on-line content material or analyze their content material beneath “Related experiences” after going to the File > Account > Account Privateness > Handle Settings menu.
”The Related Experiences setting permits cloud-backed options designed to extend your productiveness within the Microsoft 365 apps like suggesting related data and pictures from the net, real-time co-authoring and cloud storage, and instruments like Editor in Phrase that present spelling and grammar recommendations,” Microsoft additionally advised BleepingComputer.
“Microsoft has been utilizing AI in Microsoft 365 for years to reinforce productiveness and creativity by options like Designer in PowerPoint, which helps create visually compelling slides, and Editor in Phrase, which offers grammar and writing recommendations. These options don’t depend on generative AI or LLMs however slightly use easier machine studying algorithms.”
Microsoft added that the setting has been out there since April 2019, with enterprise admins having the choice to decide on if linked experiences can be found to customers of their organizations utilizing a number of coverage settings designed to handle privateness controls for Microsoft 365 Apps and Workplace on Mac, iOS, and Android units.