Key facts
- Salamanca High School in New York is piloting a program with a humanoid robot named Sally and an AI teaching assistant.
- Teachers and local Native American residents have criticized the program for being 'inappropriate', 'culturally tone deaf', and potentially harmful to students.
- The robot was purchased for $57,590 by the Cattaraugus county school district.
- Realbotix, the company providing the robot, has faced scrutiny due to its acquisition of a company known for realistic sex dolls.
- Concerns have been raised about data privacy, software security, and the potential dehumanization of education.
- The New York state education department has also expressed serious concerns regarding student privacy and appropriate safeguards.
Teachers and local residents have voiced strong opposition to a pilot program at Salamanca High School in New York that plans to introduce a humanoid robot named Sally, alongside an AI teaching assistant. Critics, including the Salamanca Teachers' Association and the New York State United Teachers, have labeled the initiative 'inappropriate,' 'creepy,' and a 'massive step in the wrong direction,' arguing it dehumanizes the teaching profession and replaces essential human connection with technology.
Concerns extend beyond the educational impact, with local Native American residents highlighting the program's implementation on the Seneca nation's territory as 'culturally tone deaf' and reminiscent of historical traumas associated with Native American boarding schools. They worry about the cognitive development of young minds exposed to such technology.
The robot, Sally, was purchased for $57,590 by the Cattaraugus county school district. Realbotix, the company behind the technology, has faced scrutiny due to its recent acquisition of a company known for realistic sex dolls, though the company denies any connection between the dolls and the educational pilot. Teachers' unions are particularly concerned about the background of Realbotix and the security of the AI software, including data storage and recording capabilities.
Despite the widespread criticism and a call for a pause, Realbotix stated the program is designed to complement teachers and provide supervised access to AI and robotics tools within the existing STEM curriculum. However, the New York state education department has also raised serious concerns about student privacy, safeguards, and the potential for the robot to perform functions that should remain the responsibility of trained professionals.