Melania Trump photo-op shows robot teacher has 'more personality' than her: critics

First lady Melania Trump was at the White House for a rare appearance on Wednesday, where she touted an AI robot that could replace teachers.

It was the second day of the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit when the first lady entered the room with the humanoid robot.

The press pool report for the first lady read, "Melania Trump entered the East Room at 11:14 am. A robot led her into the room, to great applause."

The summit focuses on delivering global access to education, with representatives from 45 nations.

The moment was ripe for mockery and the internet provided, noting that the two were the same. One commented how human it looked, "and the robot is pretty good too." Another commented that she was training her replacement. Meanwhile, a few remarked how "cringe" the moment was. Noting that they'd "seen this movie" before.

“It’s fair to state you’re my first American-made humanoid guest in the White House,” Melania said.

"The robot on the left seems to have more personality than the other robot," said Public Citizen writer Alan Zibel.

"They’ve got her doing all sorts of odd side quests this time around," said senior politics reporter for Business Insider, Bryan Metzger.

"Walking into my nephew's christening after my wife told me not to take that edible," joked Jack Stebbins, a contributor at The Onion.

Republican Steve Guest clarified the video was not AI, just the robot. "This is real," he wrote on X.

Tech expert Lance Ulanoff said simply, "I got nothing."

Joe Allen, author, reporter, and anti-transhumanist activist, suggested a plot twist on X: "Would've been a better scene if the robot tripped and fell and started spazzing out like a beetle on its back. But that's just me."

One person remarked that the robot's high price tag comes at a time when teachers can't even afford school supplies. Indeed, the projected price point is typically cited as around $20,000 – $50,000, one reviewer explained. The National Educator's Association reports the national average beginning teacher salary is $46,526.

One person recalled a BBC show that featured a skit about Russian agents who had to sneak into the White House to repair the Melania robot that was spying on the U.S.

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