If the Optional Connected Experiences is turned on in Word, is data sent back to Microsoft used to train LLM AI?

Question

We are a charity and we deal with sensitive personal data. Answers @ Microsoft encouraged me to submit my question via the response here. If the Optional Connected Experiences is turned on in Word, is data sent back to Microsoft used to train LLM AI? Microsoft Answers suggested that this is the case. This is not indicated in the Optional Connected Experiences on/off toggle. What are we losing by turning this off? How is our data used>? How can we turn this off for my Organisation?

We are not happy that, as indicated by MS answers, our data is being used to train AI given the well documented environmental impact.

Answer 1

Hi @Mark Reel

According to article "Overview of optional connected experiences in Office", when you use any of the optional cloud-backed services described in this article, Microsoft may collect required service data that may contain "personal data" as defined by Article 4 of the European GDPR.

It is also stated in this article: These cloud-backed services are optional. Whether you use them is up to you. They're provided to you under the terms of the Microsoft Services Agreement and privacy statement.

As Harry.Liu has answered to you in Answers community, based on "How we use personal data" in Microsoft Privacy Statement, it is speculated that Microsoft may use your data to develop and train our AI models.

If you turn off Connected Experiences, some related cloud service features will be unavailable. Such as "Analyze Data" in Excel, "Designer" in PowerPoint. For more, please refer to "Connected experiences in Office".

In addition to these functions, you can still use Office software to process text, data, etc.

For some Office apps on Windows devices, to turn off Connected Experiences in organization, you may use group policy: User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Privacy\Trust Center

• Allow the use of connected experiences in Office

For individual computers where Group Policy is not available, you can turn these experiences off in one Office app via going to File > Account > Manage Settings (In Outlook it's under File > Office Account). The reference is: Connected experiences in Microsoft 365.

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Answer 2

When the Optional Connected Experiences is turned on in Microsoft Word, data is indeed sent back to Microsoft. However, this data is not used to train large language models (LLMs) for AI. The data collected is primarily used to provide and improve the connected experiences, such as spell check, translation, and other cloud-backed services.

Turning off Optional Connected Experiences means that users will lose access to these cloud-backed services. This includes features like real-time collaboration, online content suggestions, and other functionalities that rely on cloud connectivity.

To turn off Optional Connected Experiences for your organization, you can use the Office cloud policy service. Here are the steps:

1. Sign in to the Office cloud policy service: Go to the Office cloud policy service and sign in with your admin account.
2. Create a policy configuration: Create a new policy configuration or edit an existing one.
3. Configure the policy setting: Look for the policy setting named "Allow the use of additional optional connected experiences in Office" and set it to "Disabled".
4. Apply the policy: Save and apply the policy configuration to your organization

When Optional Connected Experiences is turned on in Microsoft Word, specific data is collected to enable and improve these services.

Types of Data Collected: The data collected can include personal data, such as user identifiers, device information, and usage data. This data helps Microsoft provide and enhance the connected experiences.

Data Processing Roles: Microsoft acts as either a data processor or a data controller, depending on the service. As a data processor, Microsoft processes data under the terms of the Commercial Licensing Terms, and the enterprise tenant remains the owner of the data. As a data controller, Microsoft processes data under the Microsoft Services Agreement and privacy statement, and the individual user is the owner of the data.

Examples of Data Collected: Examples of data collected include:

• User Identifiers: Information that identifies the user, such as email addresses or user IDs.
• Device Information: Details about the device being used, including operating system, device type, and hardware specifications.
• Usage Data: Information about how the user interacts with the connected experiences, such as feature usage, error reports, and performance data

Data Retention and Deletion: Microsoft ensures that personal data collected by connected experiences is removed within 48 hours of collection. This practice helps maintain user privacy and comply with data protection regulations.

Turning Off Optional Connected Experiences: If you choose to turn off Optional Connected Experiences, you will lose access to cloud-backed services like real-time collaboration, online content suggestions, and other functionalities that rely on cloud connectivity

To turn off these experiences for your organization, you can use the Office cloud policy service and configure the relevant policy settings.

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