Melania and the PlatoBot

Melania Trump with Figure 3

All-knowing robot teachers are the future, proclaimed Melania Trump in a White House event. “Imagine a humanoid educator named ‘Plato,’” she said. Able to access all of humanity's knowledge, Plato "is always patient and always available."

"Plato will boost analytical skills and problem-solving and adapt in real time to a student’s pace, prior knowledge, and even emotional state," the First Lady said. Children will learn more efficiently, "freeing up time for being with friends, playing sports, and developing interests beyond school.”

She appeared with "Figure 3," a humanoid, A.I.-powered robot designed to serve as a butler, reports Katie Rogers in the New York Times. Figure AI plans to produce at least 100,000 humanoid robots in the coming years, the company announced last fall.

Last fall, the First Lady said AI could be "empowering," but requires "watchful guidance," Rogers reports.

President Trump has created a Task Force on AI Education, which will establish public-private partnerships and sponsor the Presidential AI Challenge for K-12 students.

Woody Allen played a human pretending to be a robot butler in "Sleeper"

Some think AI could serve as a personalized tutor. In one study, "children demonstrated less anxiety when reading to a robot versus a human teacher," writes Rogers. (Reading to a dog also alleviates anxiety. "In other studies, children have formed social bonds with robots as they have practiced skills including handwriting and completing puzzles."

Others are dubious. Replacing teachers with robots is "every parent's nightmare," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

The union's National Academy for AI Instruction is working with leading AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic to help educators learn about how to use AI.

“The tech billionaires tried to get technology 20 years ago to replace teachers, now they’re trying to get AI to replace teachers,” Weingarten told Jared Perlo of NBC News. “It completely misunderstands not only what American education is all about but what kids really need.”

Chalkbeat's Lily Altavena reports on a rural Michigan school district that banned digital devices in its elementary school. Mesick Superintendent Jack Ledford asked the elementary principal Kastl how much teachers read to students in grades K-5. She said, “That has almost vanished.” He told teachers to get students off Chromebooks by the end of the week.

"Mesick’s midyear ban underscores a growing backlash against screen time in school,"writes Altavena .

Hanna Brechenser's third graders are reading physical books such as the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, “Twilight” and “The Baby-sitter’s Club" series, she said. “At first, they were kind of shocked, but we just have a lot more silent reading time.”