Reports that the tech giant is taking user data through its best known business software to train its AIs follows a global crash on Monday.

Microsoft has responded to claims that it has quietly switched on an 'opt-out' feature that enables the scraping of Word and Excel files for AI training.

Software giant Microsoft is telling the world that it does not use data from Word or Excel for training any AI models.

The setting in question 'only enables features requiring internet access like co-authoring a document,' Microsoft says.

Microsoft's 'optional' Connected Experiences enable Microsoft to use Excel and Word files to train its AI technology, but it is possible to turn this feature off.

Microsoft's 'optional' Connected Experiences enable Microsoft to use Excel and Word files to train its AI technology, but it is possible to turn this feature off.

Microsoft’s use of so-called ‘Connected Experiences’ has come under scrutiny following claims it collected user-generated content to train its AI models. The latest claims stem from an X post by @nixCraft, who accuses Microsoft of turning on an opt-out feature that automatically scrapes Word and Excel documents for AI training.

Microsoft's Connected Experiences option in its productivity suite has been causing consternation amid accusations that the default setting might allow Microsoft to train AI models using customers' Word and Excel documents and other data.

Microsoft says it isn’t using customer data from its Microsoft 365 apps to train its AI models. The clarification addresses reports circulating online in the last few weeks claiming Microsoft required Word and Excel users to opt out of training the company’s AI systems.

Microsoft has reached out to confirm that it does not use customer data to train its large language models. They