Mallory Wilson | September 5, 2025

(The Washington Times) — First lady Melania Trump spoke of the benefits of artificial intelligence while stressing the need to protect America’s children from the harm that could be done, during her second meeting of the task force on Artificial Intelligence Education at the White House on Thursday.

“We are living in a moment of wonder, and it is our responsibility to prepare America’s children,” the first lady said. “I predict AI will represent the single largest growth category in our nation during the Trump administration — and I won’t be surprised if AI becomes known as the greatest engine of progress in the history of the United States of America.”

She also offered a caution.

“But, as leaders and parents, we must manage AI’s growth responsibly,” Mrs. Trump said. “During this primitive stage, it is our duty to treat AI as we would our own children — empowering, but with watchful guidance. We are living in a moment of wonder, and it is our responsibility to prepare America’s children.”

She was joined by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and IBM chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna, and Cameron Wilson, president of Code.org, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was spotted in the audience.

The task force includes White House officials, including White House Special Advisor for AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, among others.

Ms. McMahon, Ms. Rollins, Ms. Chavez-DeRemer and Mr. Wright all highlighted the AI that has been integrated into their respective departments.

Mrs. Trump has been a champion of protections for minors through her BE BEST initiative, which focuses on the issues children face today.

As part of her youth-focused initiatives, Mrs. Trump has also advocated for online protections for minors.

President Trump signed the first lady’s “Take It Down Act” into law in May, which criminalizes the publication of intimate images or “revenge porn” without consent. The bill includes protection against images made with AI or “deepfakes.”

The first lady was in close contact with Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old victim of deepfakes created by a classmate, as the bill moved through. The legislation garnered bipartisan support.

Mrs. Trump also created waves after using AI technology for the audiobook of her memoir “Melania.”

Last month, she launched the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge, which calls for students and teachers nationwide to complete projects using AI that address community challenges or create different approaches to teaching in the classroom.

The task force meeting took place on the same day as Mr. Trump was hosting business and tech leaders at the White House for dinner.