Melania Trump has pivoted from her anti-bullying campaign to launch a new taskforce on artificial intelligence in education, hosting tech CEOs at the White House on Thursday. The event, part of the 'Presidential AI Challenge', aimed to integrate AI into K-12 schooling.
Attendees included Google's Sundar Pichai, IBM's Arvind Krishna, and OpenAI's Sam Altman, along with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and AI czar David Sacks. Trump praised AI advancements, stating 'the robots are here' and calling AI the 'greatest engine of progress'.
However, critics condemned the event, citing links between AI chatbots and teen mental health crises, including suicides. The Federal Trade Commission announced it is investigating OpenAI and other firms over chatbots' impact on children.
McMahon urged schools to 'embrace' AI, while tech leaders pledged support. Google's Pichai said the company aims to make AI accessible to all students, and IBM pledged to train 2 million workers. The White House reported over 135 corporate pledges for AI education.
