Melania Trump brings an AI-powered robot to the White House — and says there could be more of them soon

U.S. first lady Melania Trump and French first lady Brigitte Macron look at a humanoid robot, as Trump hosts a roundtable event on the second day of the inaugural Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit, at the White House on Wednesday. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters via CNN Newsource)

The storied White House East Room has welcomed politicians, foreign dignitaries, war heroes, celebrities and elite athletes, but on Wednesday, it was the setting for an extremely robotic speech introducing first lady Melania Trump.

The speaker was an American-made humanoid robot.

“Thank you, first lady Melania Trump, for inviting me to the White House,” the female voice, which introduced itself as “Figure 3,” said, describing its prime speaking slot at Trump’s summit on AI education and safety for children as an “honor.”

It continued: “I am grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education.”

An audience of first spouses from across the globe and representatives of tech companies stood in silence, appearing stunned by the unexpected special guest and snapping photos. Taking in the scene, they were perhaps relieved it went off without any major technical difficulties.

The robot, made by AI robotics company Figure, walked tentatively through the room on its two “feet,” and concluded its remarks with welcomes in 11 different languages — with perfect pronunciation — before walking back down the Cross Hall.

The robot’s successful, if stiff, movement marked a major difference from a recent disaster at a Moscow tech summit, where a Russian-made humanoid robot unceremoniously stumbled and fell before a crowd. Wednesday’s robotic appearance underscored the speed with which artificial intelligence is evolving, something Trump was seeking to highlight as she convened a group of fellow first spouses to discuss ways to protect but also educate children amid the rapidly changing technology.

“Figure 3,” the first lady said, smiling. “It’s fair to state: you are my first American-made humanoid guest in the White House.”

Trump described this moment as an inflection point for technology and humanity — and offered her own vision for products like “Figure 3” to become permanent fixtures in American classrooms.

“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,” she said.

Trump continued: “Since our environment is designed for people, humanoid systems are uniquely suited to navigate and operate within our world. They fit well.”

She encouraged her guests to imagine a “humanoid educator named Plato” who could teach classical studies and said the use of robots would give children more time to be with friends, play sports and develop extracurricular interests. “A more complete person,” she said.

But she also offered a note of caution: “The safety of our next generation is always paramount.”

The robotic debut came on the second day of a two-day summit for Trump’s “Fostering the Future Together” initiative. On Tuesday, she welcomed first spouses, including Sara Netanyahu of Israel and Olena Zelenska of Ukraine, to the State Department, where Trump said they would advocate for public-private sector relationships with companies like Meta and OpenAI that she said would prioritize children’s well-being.

But Trump didn’t linger. She was in the room for seven minutes for her introductory remarks, departing before a panel discussion on artificial intelligence in education and skipping the networking and relationship-building she encouraged her fellow spouses to take advantage of during Tuesday’s event.