OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft Back Bill to Fund 'AI Literacy' in Schools

Washington just dropped a shiny new bipartisan proposal: the LIFT AI Act, backed by OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, would send National Science Foundation grant money toward teaching "AI literacy" in K-12 schools. In plain English, that means lessons on how kids can use artificial intelligence tools, judge their answers, and avoid risks. Sounds practical on paper. In the comments? Absolute side-eye.

The loudest reaction was basically: "Oh wow, the companies selling AI want schools to teach AI? What a coincidence." One commenter flatly called it a "nice source of income," while another compared it to old-school computer classes that somehow became glorified tutorials for Microsoft Office. That comparison really landed: critics see this less as future-proofing kids and more as brand training with homework attached.

Then came the really spicy stuff. One commenter compared the plan to dealers giving out a free first sample, which is about as subtle as a flaming keyboard. Another mocked the whole idea by asking: wasn’t AI supposed to be so easy anyone could use it already? That opened the floodgates to the darkest jokes in the thread—about teaching kids to churn out "AI slop," scrape copyrighted material, and become tiny corporate evangelists.

The vibe wasn’t just anti-AI; it was deeply suspicious of motive. Even the mildest comment predicted "backlash," which honestly feels less like a prediction and more like a trailer for the sequel. The bill may be about education, but in the comments, the real lesson is this: people really don’t trust Big Tech writing the class syllabus.