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Melania Trump Breaks Silence Over Humanoid Robot Event Backlash — “The Naysayers Must Stop”

By Tara Dodrill
Melania Trump is pushing back after what she described as a “nightmare” wave of criticism following her appearance at a high-profile artificial intelligence event. In a Fox News opinion piece published Saturday, she addressed critics directly, calling them “naysayers” who took aim at her AI-focused summit featuring a humanoid robot. The First Lady explained her decision Tuesday evening. She spoke more about artificial intelligence following last week’s White House summit on the technology. Technology in education was the focus of the summit. The opinion piece also notes Melania Trump called AI the “great equalizer” that allows more access for children of all education levels. Melania Trump recently hosted a conference on artificial intelligence and introduced a humanoid robot to the world - something California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked on social media. It included the wives of global leaders and representatives from nine nations, including France, Poland, the UAE, and Morocco. Many media outlets covered Melania Trump’s arrival flanked by a robot programmed with AI called Figure 03. Although Trump may have wanted to appear tech savvy, many found the scene to be quite eerie.

Those were some of the first words spoken by Melania Trump today as she joined world leaders and technology experts who share her mission to help young people around the globe. Officials from various countries and technology companies gathered at the State Department today to work together on actionable solutions that will help provide more educational opportunities for children and create safer online environments.

“As people we dream. As leaders we progress. As nations we will build. Beginning today, let’s accelerate our new global alliance—this bond—to positively impact the progress of our children.” Melania Trump said addressed a gathering of international leaders and technology innovators from 45 member states at the event. 

“I believe that when we work together, we can do great things and accomplish our goals,” the First Lady began. “That is why I am committed to empowering children worldwide with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in the digital age. I urge each member of this coalition to take action and make a difference by partnering with governments, continuing your research, and working regionally to solve these issues as part of Fostering the Future Together.”

Teachers and parents alike spoke out against the use of AI after the conference. They are concerned about the increased use of robots and AI technology in schools today. Some are wondering if they should have more influence over their children’s education. Representatives from member countries and CEOs from the tech industry convened at the U.S. State Department to collaborate on actionable efforts that will expand access to education technology and better protect children online. Melania Trump spoke about the importance of working together across countries and reminded coalition members of her ongoing efforts to ensure children have the opportunity to learn and thrive safely online. She challenged attendees to take real action through partnerships, research, and regional collaboration to help advance their shared goal of Fostering the Future Together." Melania Trump suggested AI-powered tools could give students personalized help with their studies or provide access for students in underserved areas. “The naysayers must stop wasting their time fearmongering about robots,” she wrote. She added that “America’s teachers will remain the foundation of education, but can also be empowered by AI. "Every parent seeks the best education for their child. Artificial intelligence (AI) provides access to an elite education — the highest level of human knowledge — benefiting students, families and educators alike," Melania said in the opinion piece. "For example, AI-powered tutoring tools can give all students personalized help with difficult subjects and adjust to each child’s pace as needed." She went on to note that students in even remote or historically under-resourced communities "can access expert explanations" at will. "In these ways, AI democratizes education and provides children in underserved communities equal access to the best caliber of academics," Melania Trump added. On Wednesday, Randi Weingarten, the American Federation of Teachers President, addressed the issue at the first-ever Workers First AI Summit.

"What she did yesterday was every parent's nightmare," according to an Irish Star report, Weingarten stated. "This is exactly what Big Tech wants to create: a sense of a society that is being led by and taught by robots, displacing every bit of all of who we are, starting with education. The future is here," she said. "What are we going to do to make sure that AI is a tool? That the human beings are in charge, not the tool?"

While Weingarten does not like Melania Trump's vision of the access and success AI can offer public schools, the Alpha School in Texas, a pilot program for a model like the First Lady laid out, is experiencing success on a grand scale with student achievement scores among the top in the nation.

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