A rural school district in western New York is preparing to become one of the first in the United States to use a humanoid robot as a classroom teaching assistant, introducing an artificial intelligence-powered robot named Sally to high school students this fall.
The Salamanca City Central School District, located on Seneca Nation territory, has purchased the approximately $57,600 robot from Toronto-based robotics company Realbotix. Beginning in September, Sally will be integrated into 11th- and 12th-grade coding, robotics and artificial intelligence courses at Salamanca High School.
District officials said the pilot program is designed to expand STEM learning opportunities while preparing students for careers in emerging technologies—not to replace teachers.
AI Teaching Assistant Joins STEM Classes
Sally is designed with a lifelike appearance, featuring silicone skin, long brown hair, and movable arms, hands, head, and facial expressions. While the robot can gesture during lessons, it remains seated and cannot walk because its legs are stationary.
Students will also be able to interact with Sally through a digital avatar accessible on school-issued laptops.
The district said the robot operates on a closed, offline artificial intelligence system that is programmed exclusively with the school’s curriculum.
According to school officials, the system:
- Has no internet access.
- Does not use facial recognition.
- Does not record audio or video.
- Does not collect or transmit student data to Realbotix.
District Says Teachers Will Remain Central
Superintendent Dr. Mark Beehler acknowledged that introducing artificial intelligence into the classroom represents a significant change but said schools must adapt as AI becomes increasingly common.
“It’s exciting but also a bit nerve-wracking,” Beehler said, the New York Post reported. “Not everyone is open to much change in education. There was a point in time where people argued, ‘Why do teachers need email accounts?’ or ‘Do we really need to have the internet in school?’ This is the next iteration of that. And the reality is, AI is already in schools.”
School leaders emphasized that Sally is intended to supplement classroom instruction rather than replace educators.
“The Realbotix educational robot will never replace teachers, staff members, or meaningful human interaction,” the district said in a statement, per the Post. “Instead, it serves as another instructional tool that educators can use to engage students, reinforce classroom learning, and spark curiosity about emerging technologies.”
Officials said Sally is designed to encourage critical thinking by guiding students through problems instead of simply providing answers.
Customized for the Classroom
The district has even customized Sally’s speech to include a Western New York accent in an effort to make interactions feel more natural for local students.
Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel described the deployment as a milestone for artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics in education. Although the company also manufactures companion robots, Sally has been specifically adapted for educational use.
The robot will initially support courses within the Woz Ed STEAM curriculum, developed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Pilot Program Will Be Evaluated
District officials said the initiative reflects growing interest in using artificial intelligence to enhance instruction, particularly in rural and under-resourced school systems.
The Salamanca district plans to evaluate the pilot program before determining whether to expand Sally’s role in additional classrooms.
While the project has generated interest as one of the nation’s first deployments of a humanoid classroom assistant, it has also sparked debate online, with some questioning the role of AI in education. School officials maintain that human teachers will remain at the center of instruction while Sally serves as an additional educational tool.
Provided by Dallas Express
