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Reports of the alleged practice sparked from a feature in Office called “Connected Experiences.”
Instead, it is for features such as PowerPoint suggesting an image to add to a presentation.
A setting buried behind several menus in Microsoft Word and other Microsoft 365 apps allows you to control “Connected Experiences,” which use the web to help you create content.
As highlighted byHow-To Geek, Microsoft could have done better outlining the scope of its Connected Experiences feature.
But in this particular instance, Microsoft is not using data in documents to train AI models.
Additionally, the Connected Services setting has no connection to how Microsoft trains large language models."
Enabling or disabling Connected Experiences within Microsoft 365 requires you to jump through several menus.
The official Microsoft 365 account on X responded to accusations directly as well.
In the M365 apps, we do not use customer data to train LLMs.
This setting only enables features requiring internet access like co-authoring a document.
https://t.co/o9DGn9QnHbNovember 25, 2024
What are Microsoft 365’s Connected Experiences?
Real-time co-authoring, which is a key feature of Microsoft 365, also relies on the feature.
Microsoft has anextensive document on Connected Experiences, including a breakdown of different experiences that analyze content.
Finding the options for Connected Experiences requires you to jump through several prefs menus.
For example, experiences that find information available online about a word or phrase used in a document.
For example, experiences that help you search for online pictures to add to your slides.
All connected experiences
Connected experiences include things like analyzing content, downloading online content, and online file storage.
This setting also allows you to apply your account privacy tweaks across devices."
There are instances in which defaults differ in those regions than in other parts of the world.
Microsoft using data to train AI
I understand people’s concern regarding private data.
The concept of Microsoft using data from documents to train AI is scary.
Fortunately, that is not what’s happening.
I think people were quick to jump to conclusions when the Connected Experience setting wasflagged upearlier this week.
Microsoft has several support documents on the feature and is generally good about getting back to journalists.
I creditHow-To Geekfor getting confirmation from Microsoft regarding what’s going on.
All that being said, I reiterate that I understand why people are concerned.
It’s not like Microsoft is a bastion of data privacy when it comes to AI.
Worse, the feature was enabled by default.
Fortunately, Microsoft does not use data from Microsoft 365 apps like Word and Excel to train AI models.
Doing so could be disastrous for the Microsoft 365 platform and the millions of people who rely on it.
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