Aborted plan for life-like robot in NY classroom alarms state teachers union

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An aborted plan to use a life-like robotic teacher’s assistant in a Western New York school district has prompted the state teacher’s union to call for new limits on artificial intelligence in schools.

Sally, a brunette, silicone-skinned android powered by AI, was set to debut this fall in Salamanca’s high school. The town has a population of around 6,000 people and is part of the Allegany Indian Reservation, less than three hours from Cleveland. The robot was to have been manufactured by Realbotix, which has a sibling company that produces sex dolls.

But after a public outcry and concern from State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, the Salamanca school district put the plan on pause.

Melinda Person, president of the New York State Teachers Union, argued there were still lessons to be learned from the futuristic episode. She sent an open letter to top education officials Monday pressing for “clear, enforceable statewide guardrails” on AI, including “heightened protections” against humanoid robots in the classroom.

“A robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms,” Person added.

The manufacturer of the robot in 2024 shed its previous name, Tokens.com , while reportedly purchasing Simulacra, which is known for realistic sex dolls, for $16.7 million. CEO Andrew Kiguel has said Realbotix is solely focused on humanoid systems for “education, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, customer service and wellness.”

Realbotix did not return an inquiry. In a press release, Realbotix wrote last month that the robot would have “natural conversation, facial expressions and realtime interaction to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences. The robot aims to encourage student participation and provide early exposure to emerging technologies.”

J.P. O’Hare, a spokesperson for the New York State Education Department, said safe deployment of technology in classrooms is a top priority, and the department is developing “comprehensive statewide guidance to support the responsible use of digital tools, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies in schools.”

The uproar over Sally embodies the growing anxiety about artificial intelligence and technology in the classroom. In New York City, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels has paused all purchases of educational software while the education department revises its AI policies . Some parents and teachers have called for a moratorium on AI in schools and stricter limits on screens in general.

On Friday, Rosa, New York’s top education official, wrote to the Salamanca superintendent that the state education department “remains concerned about the effect that a humanoid robot may have within a high school classroom,” and said officials would be monitoring the situation for legal, instructional, safety and privacy concerns, as well as any other “unforeseen consequences.”

The plan for the robot was first reported by New York Focus . Students in the rural Salamanca High School helped design the robot, selecting a youthful female figure with fair skin and long brown hair, according to the report.

“We now have a powerful solution that will not replace student learning or our valued educators but instead serves as an additional custom resource to enhance learning outcomes and increase the efficiency of educators’ planning and lesson development,” Dr. Mark Beehler, Superintendent of Salamanca City Central School District, said in the press release last month.

The price tag for the robot and related software that allows students to interact with Sally’s avatar on their laptops came to nearly $58,000.

Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]

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