U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon participated in the ASU+GSV Summit this week. The event brought together experts in education and technology to deliberate on the effects of AI on learning.
During her appearance on a panel discussing AI in the workforce, McMahon frequently referred to AI as “A1,” similar to the known steak sauce, rather than the intended term.
She expressed, “AI development – I mean, how can we educate at the speed of light if we don’t have the best technology around to do that? I heard … that there was a school system that’s going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year, starting that far down in the grades. That’s a wonderful thing!”
In McMahon’s defense, evidence suggests she does not actually believe that artificial intelligence is abbreviated as “A1.” Initially during the panel, she correctly stated “AI,” but as the discussion progressed, she became less consistent.
She further remarked, “It wasn’t all that long ago that it was, ‘We’re going to have internet in our schools!’ Now let’s see A1, and how can that be helpful.”
Given that AI is such a commonly understood term, it is surprising how one might confuse the acronym. It is akin to a professional athlete mistakenly referring to Major League Baseball as the “NFL.”
While it is understood that people occasionally make verbal errors and no one is infallible, this mistake appears significant, especially coming from the Secretary of Education.
