First Lady Melania Trump told the New York Post on Monday that her next project will be to lead the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge, which will educate children about AI and how it can be used for innovation.
Trump seems to be parlaying her advocacy for the Take It Down Act, which combats AI deepfakes, into a broader role related to AI and how children experience it today and in the future.
“Creating my AI Audiobook opened my eyes to the countless opportunities and risks this new technology brings to American society,” Trump told the Post.
“In just a few short years, AI will be the engine driving every business sector across our economy. It is poised to deliver great value to our careers, families, and communities," she continued. “Just as America once led the world into the skies with the Wright Brothers, we are poised to lead again —this time in the age of AI.”
In some ways like the Presidential Fitness Challenge, this challenge will involve groups of students using AI tools to create a phone app or website that solves a community problem.
Large language models, robotics, computer vision, decision trees, and neural networks are some of the tools that will be used.
The top teams will present their work in Washington, D.C., even at the White House, and could win a certificate of achievement, Cloud credits, or a $10,000 check.
State champions will be chosen in March, and national champions in June.
“The Presidential AI Challenge marks our first step in equipping every child with the knowledge base and tools to utilize this emerging technology,” Trump said.
“But this is only the beginning. It is essential that every member of our academic community, including our great educators, administrators, and students rise to this historic challenge with ongoing curiosity, perseverance, and ingenuity.”
Her leadership of the challenge fits right in with her "Be Best" initiative from her husband's first term, which encouraged and empowered youth to educate themselves and make good choices for their future.
Her previous initiatives involved internet safety as part of their scope.
“It’s heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes,” she told a Capitol Hill roundtable in March to promote passage of the Take It Down Act.
“We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape.”
