White House official calls artificial intelligence 'magical technology', urges wider access for students

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios called artificial intelligence a ldquomagical technologyrdquo but said its benefits would only be fully realised if it became accessible and understandable to ordinary Americans particularly young peopleSpeaking at the White House during the Presidential AI Challenge National Champion Awards Ceremony Kratsios said the initiative was designed to encourage students from all backgrounds to engage with AI and apply it to realworld problemsldquoAI is a magical technology but it can and needs to be demystifiedrdquo Kratsios said ldquoThis challenge has empowered every kind of young American even the ones who arent focused on science and mathematics to design incredible technological projects through the creative use of artificial intelligencerdquoKratsios credited First Lady Melania Trump for supporting the programme He said the challenge reflected a broader effort to prepare young Americans for a future increasingly shaped by advanced technologiesldquoTogether we are helping to prepare Americas young people to build the nation of tomorrow with the most advanced tools available to them todayrdquo he said According to Kratsios the competition was created with a straightforward goalldquoThe purpose of this national competition was simple mdash to bring young Americans from across the country together in using AI tools to improve the lives of their communitiesrdquo he saidHe traced the programmes origins to President Donald Trumps April 2025 executive order on AI education which established the AI Education Task Force and launched the Presidential AI Challenge Kratsios said participation exceeded expectations with tens of thousands of students producing more than 2500 projects focused on solving local and national challenges through AIldquoOur competitors in this historic challenge produced more than two and a half thousand projects aiming to overcome some of their communities greatest challenges using AIrdquo he said The projects addressed a wide range of issues including education local government services crimefighting and public safety he saidldquoThey worked on everything tools that help navigate the complexity of school and the online world that improve local government efficiency and effectiveness that synthesize real world information for crime fighting that guard their communities against hazardous chemicals and they all succeededrdquo Kratsios saidCalling the students pioneers of a new technological era he said their work demonstrated how AI could become an everyday tool for solving practical problemsldquoThe projects you have developed are extraordinary uncommonly creative applications of a novel technologyrdquo he said ldquoYou are taking the first steps in making these tools an integral part of everyday life transforming our world for the betterrdquoKratsios linked the competition to the broader American tradition of innovation and exploration ldquoToday we are grateful for this opportunity to celebrate the next generation of American exploration and the readiness of these young people to master the frontiers of artificial intelligencerdquo he saidThe Trump administration has placed growing emphasis on AI education and workforce development as part of its strategy to maintain US leadership in emerging technologies Federal agencies universities and private companies have expanded programmes aimed at preparing students for an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligenceThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever