Melania Trump shared the spotlight with a Figure 03 humanoid robot at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit on Wednesday. The event, hosted at the White House, promoted artificial intelligence in education. The robot delivered opening remarks as leaders from 45 nations gathered.
At the two-day Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit, Melania Trump was escorted down the red carpet by a Figure 03 humanoid robot from Silicon Valley-based Figure AI. The summit, part of the first lady's Be Best: Fostering the Future initiative launched in 2018 to combat cyberbullying and support children affected by the opioid crisis, brought together leaders from 45 nations and 28 technology organizations including Google, OpenAI, Microsoft and Palantir. A White House statement described the event's aim as empowering children through education and technology. The Figure 03, introduced last October and priced around $25,000 according to Forbes, uses a proprietary AI engine called Helix for tasks like folding laundry or delivering drinks. During the event, the robot walked slowly and delivered opening remarks: 'I'm grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education.' It then said 'welcome' in various languages. Melania Trump envisioned AI-powered humanoid robots, named 'Plato' in her pitch, providing personalized education in children's homes to boost analytic skills, problem-solving and adapt to a student's pace, prior knowledge and emotional state. US Education Secretary Linda McMahon highlighted AI as a Department of Education priority, stating at a round table: 'If we're able to scale these resources effectively by investing in AI infrastructure and training, we can offer expert instructions across countless fields, to hire volumes of people at a fraction of the cost.' The department has allocated millions in grants for AI in schools. The robot's appearance drew backlash on social media, with critics expressing concerns over machines replacing teachers and eroding human connection in education. One commenter on a Huffington Post Instagram post said, 'Nice, getting rid of educators in favor of a robot,' while another stated, 'No, I don't want to imagine a world with emotionless robots educating our children.' This follows policy changes to the Department of Education after a 2025 executive order.
