U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon appeared at the ASU+GSV Summit this week, an event gathering educational and technological leaders to explore artificial intelligence’s impact on learning. During a panel discussion about AI’s role in the workforce, McMahon repeatedly referred to artificial intelligence as “A1,” mistakenly using the name of the popular steak sauce.
Discussing developments in education technology, McMahon initially said, “AI,” correctly, but soon after slipped into repeatedly calling it “A1.”
“You know, AI development — how can we educate at the speed of light if we don’t have the best technology around to do that?” McMahon remarked during her remarks. “I’ve heard recently about a school system planning to ensure its first graders, or even pre-K students, receive approved A1 teaching each year, starting right from the earliest grades. That’s a wonderful thing!”
While it appeared clear that the secretary understood what artificial intelligence actually was and likely made a simple slip-up, the frequent errors did stand out. Later during the same panel, she further illustrated her confusion: “It wasn’t all that long ago that we were saying, ‘We’re going to have internet in our schools!’ Now we’re looking at A1 and asking, how can that be helpful?”
Though publicly misusing such a universally known acronym is unusual—comparable to an athlete referring to Major League Baseball as the “NFL”—occasional slip-ups are common. Still, coming from a high-ranking official like the Secretary of Education, the repeated mistake drew noticeable attention.
