During the landmark CES show on 7 January, Ms Trump sounded on-message and to the point, when elaborating on employment opportunities.
She specified among other things that workers’ data, including verified high school diplomas, should be stored and updated on their phones, to facilitate their employment. For instance, skills obtained in manufacturing or health and safety services, could be logged, the presidential daughter noted.
"All of that should be catalogued and tracked and available and accessible", Ms Trump added, further stating that more could be done to help those without college degrees enter the workforce. Separately, she received a storm of applause after praising the introduction of paid parental leave for US employees.
Interestingly enough, the event, which had earlier sparked controversy, turned out to have attracted a large audience, with the grand Venetian Ballroom auditorium packed throughout the gathering, and CES delegates scattered all around the premises.
"It seemed clear as a member of the administration that she didn't want to ruffle any feathers", said Adam Smith, contributing UK editor for PCMag, while a BBC correspondent in attendance remarked that Gary Shapiro, chief of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organises CES, had no visible intention of grilling his high-profile speaker.
The organisers’ pick was widely discussed on Twitter in the comments section below the news with one posting blatantly:
“Of all the talent in the USA.. what a shame".
“What does barbiedoll know about tech??” another queried.
“Lack of tech qualifications? - how about lack of any qualifications?” a third weighed in in a much similar way, while another suggested there is definitely something else Ivanka is more interested in:
This woman spends 95% of her day on her appearance. What idiots ask her to speak on anything but her hair?
— Amy Holden Jones (@aholdenj) January 8, 2020
“I always call a plumber to work on my car", another remarked cheekily implying there is a clash between the event’s topic and Ivanka’s competence.
However, there were also voices in Ivanka’s defence, with one netizen praising her markedly advanced opportunities in the field:
Excuse me, but people like her with money are the ones who make tech advancement possible. No matter how genius techies are, without money and resources, they are nobodies. They have to work together. Play nice!
— Maria (@Marika64652042) January 8, 2020
“I don’t know how people can say that. Her “Silicon Valley” is amazing. Kushner is a very lucky man", another user posted.
“Wild that technology has come so far. She almost looks human", another flavoured the topic with a bit of sarcasm, apparently in reference to rumours about Ivanka’s countless surgeries.
“I actually mistook her for Sophia, that A.I. Bot", a different netizen shared.
Wild that technology has come so far. She almost looks human.
— 🅱️oston John (@jimstgram) January 8, 2020
