New York School Pauses AI Robot Teacher Sally After Backlash

A school district in rural New York has halted plans to introduce an AI-powered humanoid robot into its high school classrooms after fierce backlash from parents, teachers, and state officials over privacy concerns and the manufacturer's ties to the sex doll industry. The Salamanca City Central School District had approved the approximately $60,000 purchase from Las Vegas-based Realbotix, envisioning that "Sally"—a stationary robot with long dark hair and lifelike silicone skin—would serve as a teaching assistant for high school students studying robotics and AI. Superintendent Mark Beehler described the robot's purpose as helping students with programming challenges and teaching them about robot maintenance and troubleshooting. The robot was programed with curriculum developed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, which the district already uses.

The Sex Doll Connection- The controversy erupted when parents and teachers discovered Realbotix's corporate connections. The company is linked to Real Doll, a longtime manufacturer of hyperrealistic sex dolls and AI-powered "sex robots". Realbotix acquired RealDoll's parent company in 2024, and while the company insists the education-focused operation has separate employees, payroll, facilities, and technology, the association proved damaging. Melinda Person, president of New York State United Teachers, representing over 700,000 educators, sharply criticized the purchase. Teachers also suggested the effort was a first step toward replacing human educators. "Our students do not need robots," Person added. Realbotix pushed back, insisting Sally was a "newly manufactured, purpose-built educational unit" with no modified hardware from adult products. The company maintained that Realbotix LLC and its sister companies operate independently, with different management, personnel, and manufacturing operations.

Privacy and Equity Concerns- As news spread through the small community—located on the Seneca Nation of Indians reservation, where approximately 79% of students come from economically disadvantaged families—parents raised alarms about how students' personal information might be used. Some critics questioned why such a pilot was being conducted in a predominantly Native American, low-income community, calling it an experiment on vulnerable populations. The district responded by stressing that Sally would not collect students' personal information, record audio or video of interactions, or send data back to Realistic. The robot operated on a closed network, not connected to the public internet, and each student used a unique identification code to log in. Sally was programed to avoid inappropriate topics, and would say "I do not know" when unable to answer a question. New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa expressed ongoing concerns even after her staff met with district officials, prompting the district to pause the program while it works on "enhanced student data privacy agreements" with state officials.

District Defends Its Vision- Beehler stressed that the pilot was never about replacing teachers.  "Teaching is a human-to-human process". He argued that for isolated districts like Salamanca, finding new ways to introduce cutting-edge technology is crucial for educational equity, noting that students often need to travel 1–2 hours to see emerging technology. However, many residents remained unconvinced. The controversy highlights broader tensions surrounding AI in education, raising fundamental questions about whether technology designed for adult companionship belongs in classrooms and how to balance educational innovation with community values and student privacy.

Following the intense backlash, the Salamanca City Central School District officially paused the AI robot pilot program. According to a statement posted on the district's social media, the project is on hold while the administration works to finalize "enhanced student data privacy agreements" with the New York State Education Department and continues community outreach. This pause was prompted by a direct intervention from New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa. She specifically cited worries about the robot's role, noting a discrepancy in its description; while the district had confirmed the robot would not deliver instruction, a subsequent board presentation characterized it as a "tutoring platform She also echoed resident concerns regarding data privacy and security protections. The district had previously assured the public that "Sally" would not collect personal information, record interactions, or connect to the public internet, with all data stored locally. The manufacturer, Realistic, added that student authentication would be handled through existing district systems and that all student-linked information would remain encrypted and under the district's control.The Push for Statewide Rules- The controversy has moved beyond the Salamanca district, prompting the New York State United Teachers (NYS UT) to call for statewide regulations on AI in schools. NYS UT President Melinda Person sent a letter to top education officials pressing for "clear, enforceable statewide guardrails" on AI, with "heightened protections" against humanoid robots in the classroom. Person argued that the safeguards for students should not depend on which district is approached by a vendor or whether a journalist reports on the plan in time. The state Education Department has confirmed it has been developing guidance on AI for months, though any changes to state law would require legislative action. Future of the Pilot- The immediate next step is for the district to complete the data privacy agreements with the state. Once these are in place, the district has stated it will provide further updates and likely revisit the possibility of the pilot. For now, the nearly $60,000 robot "Sally" remains on hold as the community and state officials debate the broader implications of bringing humanoid AI into public schools.