Melania Trump Focuses on AI Education, Signals Increased White House Tech Engagement
Melania Trump recently participated in a dinner with leading technology executives, signaling a new focus on artificial intelligence adn a potential role in shaping the administration’s AI policy. While details of a specific initiative remain unclear, the event suggests a heightened level of engagement from the First Lady in the tech sector.
The dinner,and Mrs. trump’s participation, occurred alongside a series of administration actions regarding AI. These include executive orders aimed at streamlining regulations, preventing perceived bias in federal AI systems, and bolstering US infrastructure for AI progress – specifically data centers and semiconductor manufacturing – with a goal of reducing reliance on foreign technology. David Sacks, the administration’s designated AI advisor and crypto czar, and Michael Kratsios, running the Office of Science and Technology Policy, are key figures in these efforts.Sources indicate Mrs. Trump’s involvement is anticipated too encourage further investment from tech companies, potentially exceeding previously announced commitments to the Trump administration. However, the specifics of how her initiative will address her stated goals of protecting children from the potential harms of AI and preparing them for an AI-driven workforce remain undisclosed.
The White House has not yet responded to inquiries from WIRED regarding the details of the First Lady’s planned AI education initiative, her broader concerns about the technology beyond deepfakes, or the administration’s stance on environmentally sustainable AI infrastructure. Representatives for Mrs.Trump’s team and Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto, the partner of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, also did not respond to requests for comment.
An attendee at the dinner noted Mrs. Trump appeared particularly engaged during a conversation with Gilbert-Soto. According to the source, the First Lady was ”smiling and way more engaged” while listening to Gilbert-Soto than during remarks from other tech CEOs praising President Trump.
Industry insiders view the First Lady’s public re-emergence centered on AI as a positive development. one source described the attendees as “some of the most powerful businesspeople in the world,” and emphasized the meaning of the First Lady’s expressed desire to be involved in the conversation, given her limited public engagements to date.
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