Education Secretary Linda McMahon appeared on a speaking panel last week to discuss how artificial intelligence might be used to improve education at any age. But the 76-year-old former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment left the impression that she could use a lesson on the technology herself. After an initial reference to "AI" at the education summit in San Diego, McMahon repeatedly referred to "A1," per Fast Company. She spoke about "a school system that's going to start making sure that first graders, or even pre-Ks, have A1 teaching in every year." She added, "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."
"It was an embarrassing mistake" for McMahon, but an opportunity for Kraft Heinz's A1 steak sauce brand, per Fast Company. The brand soon put out a mock ad with the message, "Agree, best to start them early," shown next to a sauce bottle labeled "for education purposes only." "You heard her. Every school should have access to A1," the brand added in the caption. This appears to be the first time Kraft Heinz "has used its stunt marketing resumé to make a jab at a political figure," Fast Company reports, noting loyal fans were not turned off. One user wrote, "My husband wants a bottle for his desk. He teaches middle school, at least until they replace him with A.1."
Numerous social media users had suggested McMahon was saying steak sauce could help school children at all levels. "But how can we get those kids to drink it?" responded the writer Paul Rudnick, per USA Today. "Linda added, 'The smarter kids can move up to Thousand Island Dressing.'" "It'll be delicious," quipped MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, who was left dumbfounded, per the Daily Beast. "It's artificial intelligence, A and then I, AI, and she cannot spell that!" she said of McMahon, pointing out that her role with the Trump administration is to dismantle her own department. (More Linda McMahon stories.)
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