AI teacher dreams dashed: US school district pulls plug on robot teacher program after developer’s sex robot ties spark controversy

The Central School District of Salamanca in western New York State, USA, has announced the suspension of its planned pilot program to introduce the AI humanoid robot teacher "Sally" for the new semester. Developed by Realbotix, the robot is priced at approximately $60,000 per unit and was intended to serve as a classroom teaching assistant to interact with students. The project had previously sparked parental concerns over student data privacy, and further controversy arose after parents noted that Realbotix also manufactures sex robots for intimate companionship. Additionally, the local teachers' union has opposed the plan. The school district stated that the program is currently on hold, and it will continue to collaborate with the New York State Education Department to improve student data privacy agreements and maintain communication with the community. District Superintendent Mark Beehler emphasized that robots cannot replace teachers, saying "Teaching is always a human-to-human process" and that replacing teachers with robots is not in the best interest of students.