Melania Trump Champions AI Education at North Carolina School Amid Industry Safety Debate

First Lady Champions AI Education Through Nvidia Partnership

First lady Melania Trump visited Mountain View Elementary School1

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in Jefferson, North Carolina on September 15, where she announced a partnership with Nvidia to expand AI education in Ashe County schools. The initiative provides StudyFetch subscription licenses for 1,500 students in the Ashe County School District and 100 Jetson Nano Developer Kits for students at Mountain View Elementary School3

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. The AI tools for students include robotics learning kits that enable hands-on experimentation with AI-powered projects.

Melania Trump Urges Students to Build "The Next Great Robot"

During her visit to the North Carolina school, Melania Trump told fourth through sixth graders to "dream big and use these AI tools to build something never created before."1

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She challenged students: "Maybe one of you will create the next great robot. And if you do, make sure you bring it to the White House to show me."5

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The first lady toured classrooms where students demonstrated AI-powered projects, including using artificial intelligence to transform pictures of organ models into video simulations. She was particularly animated while observing students program robotic arms to complete tasks such as stacking blocks.

Visit Highlights Community Recovery From Hurricane Helene

Melania Trump chose Mountain View Elementary School to return to the community devastated by Hurricane Helene in January 20252

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. The school was closed for more than one month and served as a recovery site after the hurricane1

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. During her remarks, she linked technology adoption to community resilience, telling students: "Think about that remarkable journey: from floodwaters to the cutting edge of artificial intelligence."1

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Principal Jerry Graybeal noted that just a year ago, the school resembled a Walmart stacked with basic necessities for the community.

AI Debate Intensifies as Trump Administration Dismisses Safety Concerns

The visit occurred amid a roiling AI debate following Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's September 12 essay calling for a global slowdown of artificial intelligence development1

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. The warning was endorsed by several industry leaders, including Elon Musk. Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned on September 8, stating that "the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade," claiming neither Anthropic nor OpenAI is "acting responsibly."4

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Several Anthropic employees amplified Coxon's message, suggesting more than a 10% chance the technology could pose existential risks.

President Trump Calls AI Regulation Concerns a "Hoax"

President Donald Trump spent September 14 rebuffing AI safety concerns through multiple Truth Social posts1

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. At 9:48 a.m., he declared: "The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!"3

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By 1:33 p.m., he wrote: "AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX."3

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At 7:55 p.m., he compared AI regulation to "their Global Warming Scam."3

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First Lady Addresses AI Safety While Promoting Future Competitiveness

When asked about children using AI given growing concerns, Melania Trump acknowledged the need for vigilance but emphasized future competitiveness1

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. "Of course, they need to be vigilant," she said. "But this is our future, and we need to guide them and teach them what, what is available. If not, they will stay behind, and we need to be the first in United States to lead."5

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House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed this position, stating that slowing AI development would let China win the AI race with "serious national security implications for every American family."4

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Growing Political Divide on AI Regulation

The visit highlighted deepening partisan divisions over AI regulation. Former President Barack Obama called on September 14 for federal lawmakers to regulate the technology, stating: "Whether this technology results in amazing breakthroughs in medicine, energy and education or unleashes huge economic disruptions, greater inequality, and potential catastrophe will depend on the choices that we make right now."3

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on September 2 banning student-facing generative AI for students from early childhood through eighth grade3

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. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has also warned that AI leaders are "not preparing" for the new era4

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AI Literacy Becomes Central to Be Best Initiative

Technology in AI education is one of Melania Trump's signature issues under her Be Best initiative2

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, alongside advocacy for foster children and lobbying Congress to pass the "Take It Down Act" making revenge porn a crime. She has been a champion of AI education during her husband's second term. In September 2025, at a White House task force meeting, she noted that while AI was boosting economic growth, "as leaders and parents, we must manage AI's growth responsibly."2

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In March 2026, she convened an international summit where she debuted a humanoid robot, suggesting children may one day be taught by AI-powered humanoid educators1

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School Principal Balances Innovation With Caution

Principal Jerry Graybeal acknowledged understanding the AI debate and said the school was heeding warnings while limiting technology use1

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. However, he expressed amazement at student accomplishments, noting that the robotics projects Melania Trump observed were received and assembled by students in just one day. "We're limiting everything we do, but we understand the value, and that's preparing kids for the future and the use of AI in the correct way," he said1

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. The first lady's nearly two-hour visit included giving out hugs, high-fiving students, and encouraging them to "keep going."

Data Center Development Becomes Election Flashpoint

The Trump administration's close alignment with the AI industry extends to data center development, which has become a flashpoint in midterm elections3

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. Communities across the political spectrum are rejecting local data center developments, but Donald Trump has been a fierce defender, suggesting it is a mistake for communities to resist these projects. The debate over AI regulation and infrastructure development is playing out in North Carolina's closely watched Senate race between Michael Whatley, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Democrat Roy Cooper, a former governor2

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