Melania Trump launches nationwide AI challenge for K-12 students

Melania Trump has launched the Presidential AI Challenge, a nationwide contest inviting K-12 students to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community problems. The initiative reflects the Trump administration’s broader push to advance AI education for American youth, positioning the United States to maintain its technological leadership in the emerging AI era.

What you should know: The contest encourages collaborative problem-solving using AI technology across all grade levels from kindergarten through high school.

• Students must work in teams with an adult mentor or teacher sponsor to complete projects addressing community challenges using AI methods or tools.
• Registration opens Tuesday on the official website, with submissions due by the end of December.
• Regional competitions will be held in the spring, culminating in a White House event featuring national winners.

The big picture: This government-sponsored challenge stems from an executive order signed by President Trump focused on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth.

• Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, emphasized that the initiative aims to prepare students for an AI-integrated future: “We want to have America’s youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools.”
• The contest aligns with broader national competitiveness goals, as Trump noted: “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’s AI experience: The first lady highlighted her personal engagement with AI technology while acknowledging both its promise and potential risks.

• “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,” she said in the announcement video.
• In May, she revealed that her 2024 memoir “Melania” featured an audio version “narrated entirely using artificial intelligence — in my own voice.”
• She also advocated for legislation addressing AI’s darker applications, successfully lobbying Congress to pass the Take It Down Act, which imposes penalties for online sexual exploitation using real or AI-generated deepfake imagery.

Why this matters: The challenge represents a significant federal investment in AI literacy at the foundational education level, potentially shaping how an entire generation approaches artificial intelligence.

• With AI tools becoming increasingly prevalent in professional environments, early exposure through structured educational challenges could provide American students with a competitive advantage.
• The emphasis on community problem-solving positions AI as a tool for civic engagement rather than purely commercial applications.