A talking humanoid robot joined first lady Melania Trump for her international summit on technology in Washington, an eye-popping start to the second day of the session.
The robot walked down a corridor with Mrs. Trump before welcoming guests in multiple languages in the East Room.
The white and black robot then wandered back down the hall while Mrs. Trump joked about it being the first “American-made humanoid guest in the White House.”
The first lady is hosting the spouses of world leaders this week as part of her Fostering the Future coalition. Its goal is to improve children’s lives through education and technology, harnessing artificial intelligence while mitigating potential risks tied to AI.
“Our world is transforming, and through the use of AI we can now access centuries’ worth of humanity’s knowledge base,” Mrs. Trump said Wednesday.
“We are obligated to ensure that our children become the most technologically fluent and highly educated generation in the world,” she said. “In doing so, the United States will secure long-term economic superiority.”
Mrs. Trump launched her initiative in September at the U.N. General Assembly.
Forty-five nations sent representatives to the inaugural, two-day meeting, which began Tuesday with remarks from Mrs. Trump.
Tuesday’s working session focused on four topics: AI in classrooms, digital literacy and skills, promoting online safety, and using EdTech tools, which include software and other tech for classroom use.
On Wednesday, Mrs. Trump ceded the floor to French first lady Brigitte Macron, who spoke about the need to avoid use of technology to avoid deep fakes that use AI to mimic real people in real situations.
She also said it’s important to keep children, especially those younger than 3 years old, away from cellphones and other mobile devices, plus to limit kids’ social media use.
Mrs. Trump has focused on the world’s children during her two tenures as first lady.
Her signature first-term initiative, Be Best, is aimed at combating cyberbullying. She revived it in President Trump’s second term.
The first lady also pushed Congress last year to pass the Take It Down Act, which cracks down on people who post intimate images of others without consent.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has been promoting the first lady’s recent documentary, “Melania,” which follows her in the days before his second inauguration in January 2025.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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