Let’s talk about a topic that’s been making the rounds lately: the idea that Microsoft is using your Word documents to train its AI models. Recently, concerns have been raised about Microsoft potentially collecting data from Word and Excel to enhance their AI algorithms. However, Microsoft has clarified that they do not use customer data from Microsoft 365 applications to train large language models.
That said, Microsoft 365 includes features called “Connected Experiences,” which are enabled by default. These features provide functionalities like real-time collaboration, grammar suggestions, and access to online content. While these services aim to enhance your productivity, they do involve processing your content to offer personalized assistance.
If you’re concerned about how your data is used, you have the option to disable these features. Here’s how:
- Open Word: Launch Microsoft Word on your computer.
- Access Options:
- Click on the File tab in the top-left corner.
- Select Options from the menu.
- Navigate to Privacy Settings:
- In the Word Options dialog box, select Trust Center from the left-hand menu.
- Click on Trust Center Settings.
- Choose Privacy Options.
- Manage Connected Experiences:
- Click on Privacy Settings.
- Under Connected Experiences, you’ll see options like “Experiences that analyze your content.”
- Uncheck the box next to any features you prefer to disable.
- Save and Exit:
- Click OK to save your settings.
- You may need to restart Word for the changes to take effect.
By adjusting these settings, you can control how much of your content is processed by Microsoft’s services. Keep in mind that disabling certain features might limit functionalities like design suggestions or grammar checks.
For more detailed information, you can refer to Microsoft’s official documentation on privacy settings.
Remember, it’s all about finding the balance between convenience and privacy that works for you.
Happy writing!
Note: This information is based on current settings as of January 2025 and may change with future updates. — t.
