The statement authorizes Microsoft to use personal data, including Copilot conversation data, to develop and fine-tune AI models and large language models. In some markets, users can opt out of having their conversation data used for AI model training through product settings or the Privacy Dashboard.
This analysis describes what Microsoft Azure's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision establishes a secondary use of personal data beyond service delivery, authorizing AI model training as a stated purpose. The opt-out mechanism is described as market-dependent, meaning it is not universally available to all users, which creates differentiated data rights exposure across geographies.
Microsoft now discloses that it may contact you by phone for marketing using automated dialers and AI-generated voices if you have consented to marketing communications, which represents a new disclosure of contact method and technology type. The company has also reorganized its data retention policy to state it retains data for broader business purposes including improving products and protecting systems, while removing previous specific examples and retention criteria, making it less clear exactly how long specific types of your data will be kept. You should review your consent settings for marketing communications and verify what contact methods you have authorized, particularly if you have concerns about automated or AI-generated calls.
View change record →Microsoft's privacy policy now provides a less detailed explanation of how long your data is retained. Previously, the policy included specific examples, such as how long deleted emails remain in your system before final deletion, and listed criteria for deciding retention periods. Now those details are consolidated into a more general statement pointing readers to separate product documentation. This means you'll need to consult multiple documents to understand retention timelines for specific services, which reduces transparency at the point of reading the main privacy policy.
View change record →Microsoft's updated retention policy provides greater specificity about how long your data persists and under what conditions it is deleted. The policy now explicitly states that deleted items from OneDrive and Outlook.com may remain in Microsoft's systems for up to 30 days before permanent removal, even after you empty the Deleted Items folder. Additionally, the updated terms clarify that retention periods depend on whether you have an expectation that Microsoft will keep the data until you actively remove it, and whether automated controls exist to let you access and delete data yourself. You can review Microsoft's privacy dashboard to exercise available deletion controls and understand which services retain your data under these criteria.
View change record →⚠ In markets where the opt-out is available, Copilot conversation data will be used to train AI models as described in the terms unless the user opts out through in-product settings or the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle AI Model Training Using Personal Data and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"As part of our efforts to improve and develop our products, we may use your data to develop, train, and fine-tune our AI models, including large language models (LLMs). Learn more here. We will also use your conversation data to monitor performance, troubleshoot and fix bugs and issues, prevent abuse, and to provide and improve Microsoft Copilot. In some markets, this data can help train our AI models in Microsoft Copilot unless you opt out.Excerpt from Microsoft Azure's Microsoft Privacy
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This provision establishes a secondary use of personal data beyond service delivery, authorizing AI model training as a stated purpose. The opt-out mechanism is described as market-dependent, meaning it is not universally available to all users, which creates differentiated data rights exposure across geographies.
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