SALAMANCA, N.Y. – A rural school district in western New York is making headlines as one of the first in the nation to welcome a lifelike humanoid robot into the classroom this fall, sparking both excitement and unease among parents and education watchers.
The Salamanca City Central School District, located on Seneca Nation territory, plans to deploy "Sally," a $57,000 AI-powered robot developed by Realbotix, as a teaching assistant for 11th- and 12th-grade students in coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence classes. Superintendent Dr. Mark Beehler described the pilot program as "exciting but also a bit nerve-wracking," according to local reports.
Video footage circulating online shows the strikingly realistic robot – complete with silicone skin, long brown hair, and expressive facial movements – seated in a classroom setting surrounded by smiling students using tablets. In promotional clips, Sally appears to engage directly with children, turning her head and blinking naturally while a human teacher works nearby. Another segment features the robot at what appears to be a tech event, wearing a branded jacket and positioned next to a presenter.
Sally will sport a Western New York accent, move her arms and upper body, and recognize students who log in with their IDs to access personalized learning prompts. However, she won't walk around the room, her legs don't function for mobility – and the district insists she will operate on a secure, offline system with no audio or video recording and no data sent back to the company.
Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel hailed the move as "a landmark moment for both AI and humanoid robotics," positioning it as the start of broader adoption in STEM education. The curriculum ties into programs inspired by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, aimed at preparing students for tech jobs in a district serving about 1,400 kids, including a significant Native American population.
School officials have repeatedly vowed that "robots will 'never' replace human teachers," framing Sally as support staff rather than a substitute. The price tag – less than the average teacher salary in New York – is being pitched as a cost-effective way to boost instruction in high-demand fields.
But the development is raising eyebrows. Realbotix is known for producing "companion" robots with highly realistic features, prompting some online commenters to question the appropriateness of introducing such technology to teenagers. Critics on social media have pointed to the robot's appearance and asked whether taxpayer-funded schools should be experimenting with machines that blur the line between tools and instructors.
This comes as debates rage nationally over AI in education, teacher shortages in some areas, and the long-term impact on American classrooms. While supporters see it as innovative preparation for the future, skeptics worry it could accelerate the push to sideline human educators in favor of machines. The district says the program will start small and expand only if successful.
For now, Sally is set to greet high schoolers when they return in September, a sign, for better or worse, of how quickly technology is reshaping even the smallest American schools.
