Microsoft has rejected allegations that it leverages Microsoft 365 applications—including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—to collect data for training its artificial intelligence (AI) models.
The claims originated from a Tumblr blog post, which accused Microsoft of using the “Connected Experiences” feature to gather user data from Word and Excel for AI training purposes. The post gained traction on social media, prompting a response from the tech giant.
“Microsoft does not use customer data from Microsoft 365 consumer and commercial applications to train large language models.
Additionally, the Connected Services setting has no connection to how Microsoft trains large language models,” a Microsoft spokesperson clarified in a statement to BleepingComputer on Monday.
Microsoft further emphasized that this optional feature, enabled by default since its introduction in April 2019, serves specific functionalities unrelated to AI training.
“The Connected Experiences feature powers capabilities such as co-authoring, real-time grammar suggestions, and access to web-based resources,” the company stated.
“These features are activated by default because users naturally expect such tools in a cloud-connected productivity suite. However, customers retain full control and can modify their Connected Experiences settings at any time.”
According to Microsoft’s support site, the Connected Experiences feature is designed to:
- Offer design suggestions, editing tips, or data insights based on Office content through tools like PowerPoint Designer or Translator.
- Allow users to download online resources such as templates, images, 3D models, videos, and reference materials, including Office templates and PowerPoint QuickStarter.
Users who wish to enable or disable this feature can do so through their Office apps. To adjust these settings, they need to go to File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings and modify the “Connected experiences” preferences.
Microsoft reiterated the purpose of this feature in its response. “The Connected Experiences setting enables cloud-backed features designed to enhance productivity within Microsoft 365 apps.
These include suggesting relevant information and images from the web, enabling real-time co-authoring and cloud storage, and providing tools like Word Editor, which offers spelling and grammar recommendations,” the company explained.
Moreover, Microsoft highlighted that its AI-enhanced tools, such as PowerPoint Designer (which helps create visually appealing slides) and Word Editor (which provides writing and grammar suggestions), have been part of Microsoft 365 for years.
These features rely on simpler machine learning algorithms rather than generative AI or large language models.
The company also pointed out that since the setting’s introduction in 2019, enterprise administrators have had the ability to control whether connected experiences are available to their organization’s users.
These controls extend across devices running Microsoft 365 Apps, including Mac, iOS, and Android, through various policy settings designed to manage privacy.