Featured Image Credit: Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Melania Trump, Artificial intelligence, Technology, Politics, News, US News, World News
Madison Burgess
Topics: Melania Trump, Artificial intelligence, Technology, Politics, News, US News, World News
Just when we thought we'd seen it all, Melania Trump just escorted a robot through the White House.
Yes, really, a bizarre video that's gone viral online shows the 55-year-old US First Lady walking down the red-carpeted hallway with the humanoid bot yesterday (25 March).
It's safe to say she made quite the entrance as she hosted the Fostering the Future Together summit in Washington, DC.
In the video, the unlikely duo had a slow walk towards the event, before the robot stood in front of the table full of world leaders and said: "Thank you, First Lady Melania Trump, for inviting me to the White House.
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"It is an honour to be at Fostering the Future together's global coalition inaugural meeting. I'm Figure 3, a humanoid built in the United States of America."
It continued: "I am grateful to be a part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education. Welcome," before greeting guests in 11 different languages.
After a round of applause, Melania thanked the robot and said, "Welcome to the White House. Figure 3, thank you for joining me at day two of Fostering the Future Together. It's fair to say, you're my first American-made humanoid guest."
According to the AI robotics company, Figure, which created Figure 3, the bot 'takes care of household tasks like laundry, cleaning, and doing dishes, all autonomously'.
At the event, the First Lady welcomed representatives from more than 40 countries, including French first lady Brigitte Macron, to discuss the initiative aimed at improving access to education and technology for children around the world.
As per Fox News, Melania explained that we could be seeing more robots like Figure 3 in everyday life very soon.
She explained: "The future of AI is personified. "It will be formed in the shape of humans. Very soon, artificial intelligence will move from our mobile phones to humanoids that deliver utility.
"Since our environment is designed for people, humanoid systems are uniquely suited to navigate and operate within our world. They fit well."
The First Lady added, "Imagine a humanoid educator named ‘Plato'. Access to the classical studies is now instantaneous - literature, science, art, philosophy, mathematics, and history - Humanity’s entire corpus of information is available in the comfort of your home."
Now, we know that AI is a divisive subject, and while some people are praising the initiative, others are absolutely horrified at the dystopian prospect of AI potentially replacing teachers.
One X user penned: "Replace teachers? With a machine? AI over teachers. That’s the idea. Instead of calling for better pay for our nation's educators/heroes. Sad day!"
While a second added, "I don’t want my daughter’s teacher to be a humanoid robot named Plato. I want her teacher to be a human being that is paid a living wage and is not forced to work 3 jobs to survive."
And a third agreed: "Trump and this administration really are trying to usher in the dystopian future that people have been predicting and writing about for decades. I never thought I'd be alive to see all of this happen. It's crazy."
Tyla has contacted the White House for comment.