Melania Trump Launches Presidential AI Challenge for K-12 Students

Melania Trump Dubs Herself First Lady of Technology

Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google. Melania Trump is carving out a new role in the Trump administration as the first lady of Technology, the New York Post reports. She will focus on advancing AI technology, first by leading the Presidential AI Challenge. The competition invites school-aged children to submit projects related to "the study, development, or use of an AI method or tool to address community challenges." Educators can also register to enter and submit "creative approaches to teaching or using AI technologies in K-12 learning." Submissions are due Jan. 20, 2026. In March, state champions will be announced, followed by a national championship in June. Contestants can earn up to $10,000, as well as other prizes, such as a Presidential Certificate of Achievement and cloud credits. "Just as America once led the world into the skies [through airplane flight], we are poised to lead again, this time in the age of AI," Melania says. In a video, the first lady says she became interested in AI after creating a deepfake of herself to narrate her audiobook, skipping hours of time in the studio reading it herself. "I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," she says. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you." President Trump signed an executive order in April to expand the use of AI in schools, directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to come up with a plan on how to do it. But two weeks before, McMahon exposed her unfamiliarity with the technology after calling it A1, as in the steak sauce, while speaking on a panel about education innovation. "A school system that's going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year," she said, as reported by USA Today. "Kids are sponges. They just absorb everything," she added. "It wasn't all that long ago that it was, 'We're going to have internet in our schools!' Now let's see A1 and how can that be helpful." Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI have all released education-focused AI products this year. However, younger users run the risk of developing unhealthy relationships with AI systems, particularly character-based chatbots. A shocking 72% of teens have spoken to an "AI companion," according to a recent study. One AI encouraged a young boy to take his own life, his mother alleges in an ongoing lawsuit. On the positive side, some schools are finding unique ways to adapt lesson plans and better reach their students. For example, the Los Angeles Unified District, one of the nation's largest, is using the technology to translate materials into other languages and communicate with its growing population of non-native English-speaking students and parents. The first lady, meanwhile, also backed the Take it Down Act, signed into law in May, which protects children and families from nonconsensual images posted online, including deepfakes. It remains to be seen what other responsibilities Trump would take on as the First Lady of Technology, a title she does not reference in the video but shared with the Post.

Melania Trump invites K-12 students to participate in nationwide AI challenge contest

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you." "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again," she continued. "This time, in the age of AI." Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation," Trump said. Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects are "endless" but the aim of the challenge is to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends." Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said. The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth. The first lady announced in May that audio version of her 2024 memoir, "Melania," was "narrated entirely using artificial intelligence -- in my own voice." She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.

Melania Trump announces $10,000 AI challenge for US students

First Lady Melania Trump visits Children's National Hospital In Washington First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday unveiled the Presidential AI Challenge, a government-backed competition inviting students from kindergarten through 12th grade to use artificial intelligence to solve community problems. The initiative, announced in a White House video message, seeks to prepare American youth for a future shaped by AI. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," Trump said. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you."

Melania Trump launches AI contest for schoolchidren in grades K-12

National contest aims to encourage kids to work together to address community issues with artificial intelligence Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you. "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again," she continued. "This time, in the age of AI." Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation", Trump said. Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects were "endless" but the aim of the challenge was to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he said on Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends. Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said. The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth. The first lady announced in May that the audio version of her 2024 memoir, Melania, was "narrated entirely using artificial intelligence - in my own voice". She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.

What we know about Melania Trump's new "age of AI" challenge

Why it matters: With AI more commonplace in our lives, the Trump administration has implemented policies to help the U.S. win the AI race on a global scale over countries like China. Driving the news: The new "Presidential AI Challenge" calls on students to use AI technologies to develop a solution that will "address a community problem or challenge." * The competition charges K-12 students to use AI tools to develop an app, website or process to help solve their community issue. * "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again -- this time in the age of AI," Trump said in a video published by the White House. * The New York Post was first to report the news. Zoom in: Prizes for the challenge include a $10,000 check, a Presidential Certificate of Achievement, or "Cloud Credits" and access to web-based resources. * The White House, which published an official guidebook with more details on the challenge, recommended that all elementary students only use age-appropriate AI tools with parental or educator supervision. What's next: The project submission deadline is in January. State champions will be announced in March, with regionals in April. * Regional champions will be invited to D.C. in May for an AI-focused event. The national championship will be judged in June. Context: Trump told the NY Post she hopes to become the "First Lady of Technology," having already been attached to AI-based projects. * Trump backed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which aims to bolster protections against deepfakes, including those generated through artificial intelligence, and revenge pornography. President Trump signed the bill into law in May. * An AI-generated replica of Melania Trump's voice was used for the audiobook version of her memoir, "Melania," which was released in October 2024. What she's saying: "In just a few short years, AI will be the engine driving every business sector across our economy. It is poised to deliver great value to our careers, families and communities," Trump told the NY Post. * "This is only the beginning," she said. "It is essential that every member of our academic community, including our great educators, administrators, and students rise to this historic challenge with on-going curiosity, perseverance, and ingenuity." The big picture: The challenge aligns with the aims of President Trump, who views the AI race as something the United States can, and must, win.

Melania Trump wants you to use AI to solve your community issues: 'I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology'

Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you." "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again," she continued. "This time, in the age of AI." Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation," Trump said. Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects are "endless" but the aim of the challenge is to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends." Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said. The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth. The first lady announced in May that audio version of her 2024 memoir, "Melania," was "narrated entirely using artificial intelligence -- in my own voice." She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.

Melania Trump invites K-12 students to participate in nationwide AI challenge contest

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you." "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again," she continued. "This time, in the age of AI." Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation," Trump said. Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects are "endless" but the aim of the challenge is to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends." Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said. The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth. The first lady announced in May that audio version of her 2024 memoir, "Melania," was "narrated entirely using artificial intelligence -- in my own voice." She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.

Melania Trump invites K-12 students to participate in nationwide AI challenge contest

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) -- Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you." "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again," she continued. "This time, in the age of AI." Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation," Trump said. Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects are "endless" but the aim of the challenge is to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends." Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said. The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth. The first lady announced in May that audio version of her 2024 memoir, "Melania," was "narrated entirely using artificial intelligence -- in my own voice." She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.

First lady Melania Trump invites students to join nationwide AI challenge contest

The first lady framed the effort as a call to innovation for America's youth. First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday announced the launch of the Presidential AI Challenge, a nationwide contest inviting students from kindergarten through 12th grade to develop projects that use artificial intelligence to address community challenges. The first lady framed the effort as a call to innovation for America's youth. In the challenge, students are instructed to create projects that show how AI could be applied to solve a local challenge -- from improving school resources to addressing environmental concerns. "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again, this time in the age of AI," she said in a video post on X Drawing on her own experience producing an AI-narrated audiobook of her 2024 memoir, "Melania," the first lady said she had "seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology." "The Presidential AI Challenge will be the first step in preparing our next generation with a base understanding of this important new technology," she said in a news release. The contest comes after President Donald Trump's April executive order directing federal agencies to advance AI education for American youth. The president touted the new challenge in his Cabinet meeting Tuesday, praising the first lady for her work. "It's going to be a very good challenge, I can tell you put her heart into it, which will inspire the next generation to stay on the cutting edge of this vital technology," President Trump said. Registration opened Tuesday on the official website. Each team must have an adult mentor or teacher, and entries are due by Jan. 20, 2026. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, said the aim is to ensure students collaborate on real-world solutions. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he told Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends on Tuesday. State champions will be named in early 2026, with winners advancing to five regional competitions. Finalists will be invited to Washington for a three-day showcase at the White House in June 2026, according to the White House. National champions in the competition will receive $10,000, either for their school or per team member, along with other prizes.

Melania Trump announces nationwide Presidential AI Challenge

First lady Melania Trump is urging students across the country to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation" by participating in a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence (AI) competition. "Are you ready for an AI challenge? Take part in this nationwide initiative to discover, develop and expand AI's potential," she said in a video released Tuesday. The nationwide competition -- open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade -- is aimed at bringing young people and educators together "to solve real-world problems in their communities using AI-powered solutions with an opportunity to showcase their solutions at a national level." Students, led by educators and supervisors, work in teams to tackle how AI technologies can be utilized to help address challenges in their schools or communities. All participants will receive a certificate, and national champions will be recognized with cash prizes, cloud credits and "eligibility to be considered for an invitation" to showcase their work at the White House. "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again, this time in the age of AI," Melania Trump said. In May, Trump announced the release of an audiobook version of her memoir, "Melania," created "entirely with artificial intelligence audio technology." The book was created using an "AI-generated replica" of Trump's voice. The challenge comes after President Trump signed an executive order in April aimed at incorporating AI into classrooms around the U.S. and prioritizing federal funds to help incorporate it into all subjects. "AI is where it seems to be at," Trump said during the signing.

Melania Trump Invites K-12 Students to Participate in Nationwide AI Challenge Contest

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues. "As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology," the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. "Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you." "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again," she continued. "This time, in the age of AI." Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation," Trump said. Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects are "endless" but the aim of the challenge is to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood. "We want to have America's youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools," he said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends." Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said. The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth. The first lady announced in May that audio version of her 2024 memoir, "Melania," was "narrated entirely using artificial intelligence -- in my own voice." She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.

Melania Challenges Kids to Create (Trumpy) AI Projects

On Tuesday morning, Melania Trump reemerged from wherever she goes when she hides from public view for weeks at a time to unveil a new project she's leading: the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge. "Are you ready for an AI challenge?" the First Lady asked in the brief announcement video. "As someone who created an AI-powered audiobook and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act I've seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology." That act, which fights deepfakes and "revenge porn," isn't really about the "promise" of AI. And the First Lady using an AI-replicated version of her voice to read her 7-hour memoir was widely viewed as weird and lazy. But sure, Melania has some first hand-experience with the technology. "Now I pass the torch of innovation to you," she continued. "Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again." The Presidential AI Challenge, she said, invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to "unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation." The video doesn't really explain what that means, and it takes a good amount of clicking around on AI.gov to figure it out. As the New York Post summarizes, the White House is holding a student competition to find the best projects that make use of artificial intelligence technology: For the Presidential Challenge, teams of students from K-12 will use AI tools such as large language models, robotics, computer vision, decision trees, and neural networks to solve a community problem by creating a phone app or website. Prizes range from a Presidential Certificate of Achievement, to Cloud Credits and a $10,000 check. State champions will be announced next March, followed by a national championship in June. Top teams will be invited to present their work at a three-day showcase in Washington, DC, including the White House. So what kinds of projects are we talking about? On Fox & Friends, Michael Kratsios, who heads the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, mentioned things like AI-powered tools for optimizing bus routes and identifying indigenous plants: Aside from the First Lady taking the opportunity to plug her AI audiobook (available on MelaniaTrump.com for just $25!), that all seems age-appropriate, educational, and non-partisan ... which doesn't sound like the second Trump administration at all. Isn't there some aspect of this project that's about encouraging kids to fight the woke mind virus or downplay the horrors of slavery? It takes some digging in the competition rules outlined on AI.gov, but rest assured: the MAGA angle is there. The scoring guide says one of the criteria is whether the project "is relevant to the priorities, values, or vision of the President and his Administration." Teams can be awarded up to 10 points in this category, out of 100 points total. The footnotes say this Trumpiness score "is used as the first tie break.": President Trump's "priorities, values, or vision" are not defined. And weirdly, some of the sample projects promote recycling, energy conservation, and helping local food pantries, none of which seem like priorities for his administration. So it's unclear what exactly the Trump administration is looking for. But if I were a kid gunning for that $10,000 I'd lean toward an AI-powered project that's close to the president's heart, like a website that helps you steer clear of cancer-causing windmills or an app that can help people on sinking battery-powered ships decided whether to die by electrocution or shark.

Exclusive | First lady Melania Trump will head effort to teach next generation...

In an exclusive statement to the New York Post, first lady Melania Trump has revealed her next official project: leading the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge to inspire children and teachers to embrace AI technology and help accelerate innovation in the field. She hopes to carve out a new role as the First Lady of Technology, combining her passion for children's well-being with her tech-forward vision, as demonstrated by her advocacy for the "Take It Down Act," which combats AI-generated deepfakes, and her work on an AI-powered audiobook version of her best-selling memoir "Melania." "Creating my AI Audiobook opened my eyes to the countless opportunities and risks this new technology brings to American society," the first lady told The Post. "In just a few short years, AI will be the engine driving every business sector across our economy. It is poised to deliver great value to our careers, families, and communities... "Just as America once led the world into the skies with the Wright Brothers, we are poised to lead again -- this time in the age of AI." For the Presidential Challenge, teams of students from K-12 will use AI tools such as large language models, robotics, computer vision, decision trees, and neural networks to solve a community problem by creating a phone app or website. Top teams will be invited to present their work to the first lady at a high-profile ceremony, likely at the White House, with state champions announced next March, followed by a national championship in June 2026. "The Presidential AI Challenge marks our first step in equipping every child with the knowledge base and tools to utilize this emerging technology," says Mrs. Trump. "But this is only the beginning. It is essential that every member of our academic community, including our great educators, administrators, and students rise to this historic challenge with on-going curiosity, perseverance, and ingenuity." The initiative is part of President Trump's April 23 Executive Order: "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education For American Youth." It aims to encourage the next generation to harness the coming AI productivity powerhouse and help retain America's global leadership in the field. For Mrs. Trump, 55, the AI Challenge is a natural extension of her commitment to education and innovation in a digital age, aligning with her first term "Be Best" priorities of online safety and youth empowerment. "It's heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes," she told a Capitol Hill roundtable in March to promote passage of the Take It Down Act. "We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape." The launch of Mrs. Trump's audiobook in May, featuring an accurate AI-generated version of her voice, has facilitated audio translations into Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish, ushering in what she calls "the future of publishing." The next step for the reclusive but entrepreneurial first lady is her $40 million collaboration with Amazon Prime Video on a documentary about her life. "The book was such a success," she told Fox & Friends, "and I get so many messages and letters [from] my fans and people [who] would love to hear more from me, so I had an idea to make a movie, to make a film, about my life. "My life is ... incredibly busy, and I told my agent, 'I have this idea, so please go out and make a deal for me.'" The behind-the-scenes film about Melania Trump was filmed in Washington DC, New York, and Palm Beach, and is set to be released later this year.