Microsoft 365 Education Gets Free AI Teaching & Learning Tools Ahead of ISTELive 2026

AI is already helping teachers with lesson plans, students with assignments, and is increasingly becoming part of daily school life. Microsoft’s latest education report makes that crystal clear, which is why the company is now rolling out AI-powered tools to help teachers and students make better use of the technology with Microsoft 365 Education at no additional cost ahead of ISTELive 2026.

Microsoft wants AI to become part of everyday learning

The report found that AI adoption across education has significantly increased over the past year. According to Microsoft, 92% of students and education leaders have already used AI for school-related tasks, while 88% of educators say the same.

To support that growrh in usage, Microsoft has introduced Unit Plans in Teach, a new feature that helps educators quickly create standards-aligned lesson plans through Microsoft 365 Copilot. The company is also rolling out Student AI Guidelines and Learning Groups in Assignments, giving teachers more control over how AI can be used inside the classroom.

Another notable addition is Learning Zone, which allows educators to run AI-enhanced live lessons while maintaining visibility into student activity and lesson progression.

New AI study tools for students

Students are getting new AI features too. Microsoft confirmed that Copilot Notebooks will now be available via Microsoft 365 Education, which allows students to turn class materials into interactive study guides and personalized learning resources.

The company is also introducing a new Study and Learn Agent inside Copilot Chat. Rather than simply providing answers, the feature is designed to walk students through concepts, provide practice opportunities, and offer feedback throughout the learning process.

That being said, Microsoft’s own research highlights a challenge still facing schools. While AI usage is climbing rapidly, 77% of students and 53% of educators report receiving no formal AI training. To address that gap, Microsoft is also expanding its Elevate for Educators program and launching additional AI literacy resources to help schools move from experimentation to practical implementation.