Humanoid Robot Joins First Lady at Kids’ Tech Event

First lady Melania Trump was accompanied by a human-like robot at the White House last week during a children’s technology summit. The robot, created by the AI robotics company Figure, walked alongside Trump before speaking in front of the first lady and seven other first spouses from around the world, including Brigitte Macron of France, Marta Nawrocka of Poland, and Princess Lalla Hasnaa of Morocco.

Robot Makes History

During its remarks, the robot thanked Trump for inviting it to take part in the inaugural meeting of the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition and identified itself as “Figure 03, a humanoid built for the United States of America.”

“I am grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education,” Figure 03 added, before greeting the rest of the room in ten different languages, including English, Spanish, and French.

Melania Trump said Figure 03 is her first American-made humanoid guest at the White House. She noted that the future of artificial intelligence is “personified” and “will be formed in the shape of humans.” The first lady continued:

“Very soon, artificial intelligence will move from our mobile phones to humanoids that deliver utility. Since our environment is designed for people, humanoid systems are uniquely suited to navigate and operate within our world. They fit well.”

Trump suggested that an AI-powered humanoid robot – like Figure 03 – could work as a teacher, providing Americans with instant access to private lessons on classical studies like literature, art, science, mathematics, philosophy, and history “in the comfort of your home.”

Figure 03: The Good, the Bad, and the Technology

Figure introduced its third-generation humanoid robot – Figure 03 – in October 2025 with the goal of delivering what they described as a “general-purpose robot” that will be able to handle tasks that it learns from real people.

The robot features wireless charging, an audio system that allows voice reasoning, and “battery safety advancements that make it safer and easier to use in a home environment,” Figure’s website states. The company said it is designed for mass production.

While the White House, tech leaders, and heads of state appear excited about integrating robotics into everyday life, including education, not everyone is on board. Many social media users expressed concerns about robots replacing teachers, including one person who wrote, “I can’t imagine a single child who’d rather learn from a robot than a human being. My sister is an elementary art teacher and she has people she taught 20 years ago coming up to her to say thanks. No one will feel that way about a robot.”

Another user highlighted the importance of teacher-to-student interactions in American classrooms, writing, “[Is] a robot teacher going to fix their glasses when they break, hug them when they’re upset bc something happened at home, give them advice when something’s bothering them and they can’t focus, fix their pants when they rip, trouble shoot their electronics, talk through nosebleeds[?]”

The concerns also go beyond the interpersonal; studies have already shown that children who overuse technology can experience diminished cognitive development and reduced problem-solving skills. “We need to be very deliberate about what we choose to use the technology for,” said Catherine Lewis, assistant professor at Lynn University’s College of Education. “Every activity, every lesson does not have to have technology embedded into it.”

1. A humanoid robot joined First Lady Melania Trump at a kids’ technology event.
2. The robot walked alongside the first lady before delivering historic remarks in front of officials from around the world.
3. Some critics worry integrating humanoid robots into education could negatively affect children.