Melania Trump, the U.S. First Lady, showcased the innovative Figure 3 robot at the White House while promoting the Fostering the Future Together initiative, aiming to build digital and AI skills for the new generation to keep up with the rapidly changing world. She also introduced the concept of a "robot teacher" to help children have more time for other creative activities.
Melania Trump, the U.S. First Lady, continued to advance the Fostering the Future Together program on its second day at the White House, urging countries worldwide to prioritize access to education and technology for children and youth.
A highlight of the event was Melania's appearance alongside Figure 3, an intelligent humanoid robot developed by Figure AI from California, USA, which impressively welcomed attendees. This third-generation robot is designed to assist with household chores like laundry, dishwashing, and cleaning. At the event, it greeted participants in 11 different languages before Melania began a roundtable discussion with spouses of leaders from over 40 countries, including Olena Zelenska (Ukraine), Brigitte Macron (France), and Sara Netanyahu (Israel).
Melania used the occasion to present the "robot teacher" concept, asking attendees to imagine an educational robot named Plato capable of teaching classics, literature, and science accurately and patiently, thereby giving children more time for other creative pursuits.
She emphasized the necessity of international collaboration through research, forming new partnerships, and holding regional conferences to cultivate essential skills for the next generation. The main approaches include developing education curricula aligned with the digital world, supporting technology- and education-focused legislation, and involving tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI to help lay the foundation.
She said, "Let us inspire children to create new platforms, build new industries, and elevate production across all sectors—from media and fashion to healthcare and security. Let us create the future together."
The two-day conference focused on four key issues: the use of AI in education, technological learning tools, digital literacy, and online safety. This aligns with the commitment she declared at last fall’s United Nations General Assembly to ensure every child can "flourish in the digital age."