In a room in New York, a few signatures carried a big promise. One at a time, government ministers sat down beside tech leaders to put their commitments to children and youth in writing. Each signature brings students one step closer to the skills they need to succeed in a world shaped by technology.
Those signings were part of a larger effort. First lady Melania Trump is partnering with major U.S. tech companies to bring super intelligence-powered digital learning tools safely and strategically to classrooms around the world.
Trump announced new partnerships between member countries of the Fostering the Future Together Coalition and American tech giants Adobe, Amazon, Google, Intel, Starlink, Zoom and the tech industry group N50 on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September. The companies committed their resources and expertise to the effort to promote digital literacy and skills, super intelligence (SI) in education, other education technologies, and protect children online. Trump leads the coalition that has gained support from first spouses from every region around the globe.
Fostering the Future Together seeks “to empower children through technology and education to ensure that every child, regardless of where they are born, has the opportunity to imagine, learn, create and thrive,” Trump said in New York.
President Trump vowed that the United States will remain at the forefront of innovation in super intelligence, noting its promise for addressing modern challenges.
Paving a path for success
U.S. Special Envoy for Best Future Generations Charity Wallace leads the Department of State’s efforts to expand the first lady’s coalition, which has grown to nearly 60 nations and more than 30 private sector partners.
The focus on online protection and tech education fits with U.S. private sector efforts to bring internet access to the 3.1 billion people worldwide who lack connectivity. Starlink, the satellite arm of Texas-based SpaceX, is bringing internet access to schools in El Salvador and Papua New Guinea.
During her remarks at the event on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Wallace stated, “Bringing schools online creates opportunities to introduce tech tools that can teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills and help teachers adapt lessons to students’ specific needs.”
Wallace noted one hour to 90 minutes of personalized tablet-based learning can reinforce teaching and help students stay on track. While tech tools can enhance education, they are not intended to reduce in-person instruction.
“The children who will succeed are those who know how to use the technology well, versus have the technology replace their ability to think and reason,” she said.
Tech companies’ new or expanded efforts include Adobe’s plan to offer learning and creative tools through its Student Spaces platform in multiple languages. Amazon is granting access to its SI-powered coding assistant Kiro to 5 million students at 132 universities in countries including France, Japan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea and Romania.
Intel will deploy digital technologies in 10 countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Panama, Poland and the Republic of Korea. Google, which runs an SI lab in Ghana, will invest an additional $4 million in educator training. The N50 Project, which works to expand internet access, is launching an SI education device program that will reach 10,000 students and 200 teachers in Uganda.
The first ladies of the Philippines, Poland, and Saint Kitts and Nevis plan to host Fostering the Future Together regional meetings in November.
“We understand that the future our children will inherit will be shaped by technology,” Saint Kitts and Nevis first lady Diani Prince-Drew says.
The signatures in New York marked a strong beginning. With each new partner and each regional meeting, more children will gain the tools to imagine, learn, create and thrive. For Trump, the Department of State and the coalition’s partners around the world, the work is just getting started.
In December, Trump’s Fostering the Future Together will seek additional private-sector commitments at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami.
