U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon Confuses AI with A.1. Sauce in Public Gaffe

The US Secretary of Education referred to AI as 'A1,' like the steak sauce | TechCrunch

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon attended the ASU+GSV Summit this week, where experts in education and technology gathered to discuss how AI will impact learning. While speaking on a panel about AI in the workforce, McMahon repeatedly referred to AI as "A1," like the steak sauce. "You know, AI development -- I mean, how can we educate at the speed of light if we don't have the best technology around to do that?" she said. "I heard [...] that there was a school system that's going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year, starting that far "down in the grades. That's a wonderful thing!" In McMahon's defense, it doesn't seem like she actually thinks that artificial intelligence is abbreviated "A1." During the panel, she said "AI" at first, but became increasingly less consistent. "It wasn't all that long ago that it was, 'We're going to have internet in our schools!'" she continued. "Now, let's see A1, and how can that be helpful." AI is such a ubiquitous term that it seems hard to imagine how one could forget the correct acronym -- it's like if a professional athlete referred to Major League Baseball as the "NFL." Sometimes people misspeak. Nobody's perfect. But this feels like a bigger whiff than usual, particularly coming from the secretary of education.

Trump’s Education Chief Linda McMahon Repeatedly Calls AI â€~A1’ in School Speech

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is currently working to shut down the Department of Education at the behest of President Donald Trump, leaving her plenty of time to talk on panels about the future of schoolsâ€"or lack of a future, as it were. McMahon's appearance at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego this week included a rather amusing mix-up. McMahon repeatedly referred to AI by the name "A1." Yes, just like the steak sauce. The video of the conference was livestreamed on YouTube, where you can hear it for yourself. "I heard, I think it was a letter or a report that I heard this morning, I wish I could remember the source, but that there is a school system that's going to start making sure that first graders or even pre-k's have A1 teaching every year, starting that far down in the grades," McMahon said. And just in case it seemed like McMahon had misspoken once, she said A1 again, all while calling kids "sponges." "And that's just a wonderful thing. Kids are sponges. They just absorb everything," McMahon continued. "So it wasn't all that long ago that we're going to have internet in our schools. Now, okay, let's see A1 and how can that be helpful? How can it be helpful in one-on-one instruction? How can it be helpful in absorbing more information for those fast learners? It can be more one-on-one directed. And those are the kinds of things and innovations that I want to see continue to develop." The most confusing part about her mistake is that McMahon, who's 76 years old, refers to AI other times, including just before you can hear her repeatedly say A1. Does Secretary McMahon know about some kind of special AI technology that goes by the name A1? It's entirely possible, but Gizmodo was unable to get an answer from the Department of Education via email. McMahon has a net worth of roughly $3.2 billion and took the job of Education Secretary with the explicit goal of destroying the department. McMahon was asked about why she was dismantling the agency, and her response was that the country didn't always have a Department of Education and that Americans need to get more "innovative" and "creative" when it comes to educating kids. The power to properly eliminate the department actually rests with Congress, so Trump and McMahon have obliterated it only as far as they can. Republicans in the Senate have introduced a bill to formally close the agency, but it's still not clear how that legislation will fare. Hopefully, they figure out the difference between AI and A1 while they work to erase public education in the United States.

Linda McMahon mixed up AI and A.1. -- so of course the steak sauce is all over it

There are myriad uses for AI these days, but so far it hasn't had much application as a condiment. Don't tell U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon that. McMahon made a tasty mistake Thursday when she mixed up AI (artificial intelligence) and A.1. (KHC+0.52%) (the steak sauce) while speaking at the ASU+GSV education summit, an event put on by Silicon Valley investors. She was discussing modern classroom tools when she started to confuse the two terms. McMahon said she'd heard about "a school system that's going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year," which she said was a "wonderful thing." But the comment wasn't just an isolated slip of the tongue. McMahon added, "Kids are sponges. They just absorb everything. 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." The steak sauce company, a U.S. subsidiary of Kraft Heinz, then seemed to savor McMahon's gaffe in particularly saucy posts to social media. On X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram (META-2.13%), accounts for A.1. Original Sauce wrote, "You heard her. Every school should have access to A.1." alongside a bottle slapped with a logo that reads, "For education purposes only." The graphic next to the bottle says, "Agree. Best to start them early." Confusingly, McMahon actually called artificial intelligence by its correct name (AI) earlier in the panel but became less consistent as she spoke. McMahon, 76, was a controversial pick for education secretary given her lack of experience in the area; she was formerly the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), which she founded with her now-estranged husband, Vince. The Senate confirmed her position in the Trump cabinet in a 51-to-45 vote in early March. Last month, Trump signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education to return the overseeing of education to the states and not the federal government. "I told Linda, 'I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job,'" Trump said. "I want her to put herself out of a job."

Education Secretary Linda McMahon confuses AI with A.1. Sauce during panel: 'You heard her'

The Senate confirmed GOP donor and former wrestling executive Linda McMahon to head the Department of Education with a 51-45 vote. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon may have had a juicy steak in mind while speaking at a panel earlier this week because she confused artificial intelligence, also known as AI, with A.1. Sauce. McMahon, 76, made the mix-up on Tuesday while speaking at the ASU+GSV Summit, an event focusing on educational innovation. The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) initially referred to the acronym for artificial intelligence correctly, saying, "You know, AI development - I mean, how can we educate at the speed of light if we don't have the best technology around to do that?" Things got sticky as McMahon's speech continued: "A school system that's going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year. That's a wonderful thing!" "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." 'Every school should have access to A.1.' A.1. Sauce even capitalized on McMahon's blunder by posting an Instagram post on their verified account saying, "You heard her. Every school should have access to A.1." "Agree, best to start them early," the picture attached to the post reads. Other Instagram users loved the response from the Kraft Heinz-owned brand. One user even commented, "I will be buying a bottle or two because of this post." People online have even joined in on poking fun at McMahon, with one X user saying, "Education Secretary Linda McMahon keeps referring to AI as A1 and talking about how it will help 'students at all levels.' But how can we get those kids to drink it? Linda added, 'The smarter kids can move up to Thousand Island Dressing'" USA TODAY contacted Kraft Heinz and the U.S. Department of Education on Saturday but has not received a response. Senate confirmed McMahon after Trump's nomination The U.S. Senate confirmed McMahon to be the next U.S. Secretary of Education last month, a decision that came following President Donald Trump's nomination. Now in the role, the former wrestling industry executive faces the challenge of managing an agency Trump has said he wants "closed immediately." Education Department staffers are already reeling from massive upheaval and layoffs, with more expected. In February, the president told reporters in the Oval Office that he wants McMahon to "put herself out of a job." The White House has been discussing steps in recent weeks to dismantle the Education Department, though only Congress can formally do away with a federal agency. "Just because they want to do it doesn't necessarily mean that they could do it," Jon Fansmith, the assistant vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education, said during a meeting with college officials in February.

Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon got lost on the A1 sauce | Opinion

Education Secretary Linda McMahon raised eyebrows during a speech when she confused artificial intelligence (AI) with A1, the popular steak sauce. Former "WWE Raw" empresario Linda McMahon got roasted online after confusing the acronym for artificial intelligence - AI - with a sauce you might use on a steak - A.1. - at an April 8 event in San Diego featuring all kinds of big-brained educators. It's not just what she deserved. I'd guess it's what President Donald Trump expected. Even wanted. The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and Trump's pick for secretary of Education was attending the ASU + GSV Summit, where, among other things, she said, "A school system that's going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year. That's a wonderful thing!" As bad as that seems, it's what Trump was looking for in an Education secretary. And McMahon is not alone. Linda McMahon's job is to kill the Department of Education For April, Arizona has been host to a couple of Trump stooges - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Sending McMahon to an event tied to Arizona State University (though this one took place in San Diego) is like sending in Curly to round out appearances by Moe and Larry. In Trump's world, unlike planet Earth, this makes perfect sense. Particularly because McMahon's entire job, as defined by her Dear Leader, is to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. In March, Trump signed an executive order aimed at killing the department, something a president can't do without approval of Congress (which Trump might have learned if he were lucky enough to attend public rather than private schools). Making McMahon secretary of a doomed department must have seemed like a great idea to Trump. He had to give her something in return for her investment. After all, between the Make America Great Again Inc. super PAC and other Trump fundraising entities, McMahon is reported to have donated more than $21 million to help Trump get reelected. By Trump's standards (assuming "standards" is even close to the right word), that is Cabinet-level largesse. So, Trump gave her something he does not want and made it her job to get rid of it for him (with the help of Elon Musk's DOGE bros, of course). And, because Trump's Education secretary needs to know nothing about education, his selection of McMahon seems almost ... logical. The nice folks who make A.1. sauce had a little fun with McMahon's comment about making sure kids have "A1" exposure early, producing a meme with a picture of the sauce that reads, "Agree, best to start them early." Although that might not be a bad idea. Considering what Trump has planned for public education, it's likely that the next generation of American school kids won't know the difference between AI and A1, either.

For Some Reason, Trump's Education Secretary Can't Pronounce 'AI' Correctly

Linda McMahon, Donald Trump's secretary of education, proved this week she needs to get educated about artificial intelligence. The former professional wrestling promoter made her ignorance about AI public knowledge earlier this week when she spoke at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego on Tuesday. During her appearance at the summit, McMahon stressed the potential positive impact artificial intelligence could have on educating the nation's youth, but her message may not have been as effective as it could have been, thanks to one teensy-weensy, itty-bitty little mistake on her part. Although AI is supposed to rhyme with "they lie," McMahon repeatedly pronounced it as "A1," which Gizmodo noted was "just like the steak sauce." The "A1" error was bizarre, considering that she did correctly refer to "AI development" moments before, Mediaite noted. Still, McMahon's error did provide some fodder for social media snark. This isn't the first time McMahon seemed unaware of the meaning of key acronyms. Last month, she admitted during an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham that she didn't know that IDEA stood for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

For Some Reason, Trump's Education Secretary Can't Pronounce "AI" Correctly And It Is Very Funny

Linda McMahon, Donald Trump's secretary of education, proved this week she needs to get educated about artificial intelligence. The former professional wrestling promoter made her ignorance about AI public knowledge earlier this week when she spoke at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego on Tuesday. During her appearance at the summit, McMahon stressed the potential positive impact artificial intelligence could have on educating the nation's youth, but her message may not have been as effective as it could have been, thanks to one teensy-weensy, itty-bitty little mistake on her part.