Microsoft has gone to great lengths to assure its users that it does not employ customer data gathered from Office apps to train its Microsoft AI algorithms. This created confusion on social media, especially between Word and Excel documents for AI model training. Microsoft also stressed the point on the safety and privacy of customer data and how data was not mixed or incorporated into the training of AI models, proving its policy towards secure practices.
By Delving into Connected Experiences in Office Apps
The feature known as “Connected Experiences” in Microsoft Office apps makes it easier to work by analyzing the content of the user. However, some users felt that this analysis would be used to train Microsoft AI models. Microsoft later explained that the feature is limited to working with internet-based features such as co-authoring and does not help in training AI models. These features, which are on by default, have no connection to the datasets employed in AI construction.
Microsoft’s response to privacy concerns
However, recent revelations that user documents could be used to train Microsoft AI models was enough to spur the company into action. Through the official Microsoft sources, the company stated that user data from Microsoft 365 consumer or commercial applications is not utilized for the training of basic AI models. These myopic notions were dismissed by Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s Communications Head, by pointing out the fact that customer data is never mixed with AI systems.
Some of the areas that needed to be addressed included, Default Settings and User Awareness.
Some of the complaints that had been made by the users of Facebook related to the Connected Experiences included the fact that its activation was automatic, thus causing concerns among the users on the implications of privacy. Some said that misunderstanding is at the root of the problem and that if this was cleared up, it would do much to allay the fears, especially in relation to the software giant Microsoft AI models. Microsoft told its users that these features don’t work on the data that is used to train AI models, and they can be turned off without affecting the app’s core functionality.
This paper looks at the issue of transparency in the training practices of artificial intelligence systems.
Microsoft has been very vocal on the fact that Microsoft AI models are trained on datasets that do not include content generated by customers. Lack of understanding regarding relative privacy options was a source of misunderstanding, which was eliminated through the company’s interventions and interaction with its users. Experts are convinced that expanding the transparency of the policies regarding the use of data will contribute to avoiding similar scandals in the future.
Microsoft’s Measures on Data Protection
The company promised to remain committed to data protection, and the materials like metadata of the documents or the content of cloud storage are not used for training Microsoft AI. With features such as real-time collaboration and online storage, these features do not impact the user’s privacy in any way while working independently of AI model development.
User Control and Privacy Option
To try to reassure users, Microsoft again pointed out that Connected Experiences is an opt-in feature and can be switched off at any time. Despite the fact that these features are critical for providing Internet-based capabilities, they are unrelated to the data pipelines used by Microsoft AI models. Through these privacy settings, the company makes it possible for the users to set their levels of comfort in using the Office apps.
Building Confidence in the Microsoft AI Models
This recent event again shows that Microsoft is committed to providing more privacy and ethical use of AI technologies. To try and regain the trust of its users, Microsoft has sought to define the objectives of the Connected Experiences and also ensure that customer data is not used to train Microsoft AI models. Going forward, enhanced disclosures and end-user awareness will further strengthen Microsoft’s position in secure and innovative productivity technologies.
source:: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
