Schools rent first ‘horny’ robotic lecturers as grownup doll-linked agency begins classroom takeover

A school district is set to introduce a lifelike humanoid robot called Sally as an AI classroom helper this autumn, but its RealDoll linked maker and stylised design have sparked a “sexy robot” backlash

A “sexy” humanoid robot is set to start teaching at a school and help pupils in the classroom when they return this autumn. The Salamanca City Central School District in Western New York, USA is poised to become one of the first in the US to put a humanoid robot into a working classroom. Leaders insist it will not replace teachers, but act as learning support for students and staff.

At a board meeting last month, the rural Cattaraugus County district agreed to buy the robot from tech firm Realbotix, along with an artificial intelligence teacher assistant programme that lets students interact with an avatar of the robot on laptops.

“This deployment in a working school district represents a landmark moment for both AI and humanoid robotics,” said Realbotix chief executive Andrew Kiguel, who confirmed the company is currently building the robot.

“Salamanca marks the beginning of a new era where humanoid robots and intelligent AI assistants become standard tools in STEM education.”

The female robot, named Sally, is designed with a “lifelike appearance” including silicone skin and long brown hair. It will sit stationary, but can move its upper body and pull a range of facial expressions.

Nevertheless, the “sexy” tag has stuck because Realbotix traces its roots to RealDoll, a maker of ultra realistic adult sex dolls. Additionally, critics say Sally’s silicone skin and stylised look resemble the firm’s companion robot designs, despite the classroom model being strictly for education only.

Kiguel said pupils will log in using a unique identification code so Sally can access learning data and offer personalised support. “They’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, I’m student number 1234,’ and then the robot will be like, ‘Hey, we were talking about this yesterday, do you want to continue that conversation?”

Salamanca plans to introduce Sally and the avatar in high school AI and robotics lessons using a curriculum developed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, with hopes of expanding if the pilot works. Superintendent Mark Beehler said: “Many schools are taking the easy solution of simply banning it, but I have found that students will find a way around most rules that schools put in place.

“I also believe it is critical for schools to teach proper use of technology, not simply exclude it.” Students will also be able to use the avatar outside class for homework help, including uploading photos for feedback and real time translations in more than 100 languages.

Unlike other Realbotix robots, it will not use facial recognition or recording. The district said Sally will run on a closed system not connected to the internet, and Beehler said the robot is trained to say “I don’t know” to avoid errors.

Realbotix also says flagged terms such as suicide or self harm will alert administrators. In a demo, when told about bullying and revenge, the avatar replied: “The best next step is to tell a trusted adult at school right away, like a teacher, counselor or principal, and let your parent or guardian know, too.”

The products cost $57,590 (£45,500), discounted from a website starting price of $95,000 (£74,900). However, the plan has sparked online debate, especially as the district serves about 1,300 students, with 32 percent identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native and 79 percent economically disadvantaged.

Local parent Sierra Abrams said: “We already have so many issues in our community, including environmental issues. I just don’t understand the concept of adding AI onto that.”

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