Come September, certain students and educators in New York will find an unfamiliar AI-powered helper waiting in select classrooms, one that some view as odd and possibly out of place.

The Salamanca City Central School District, about 60 miles south of Buffalo, has entered a $57,590 agreement with robotics firm Realbotix to place AI resources and a humanoid robot into targeted technology courses at Salamanca City Central High School.

The robot, called Sally, belongs to Realbotix M-series lineup. It features silicone skin and numerous facial expressions to appear lifelike, yet it stays fixed in a seated position.

According to the company announcement, Sally relies on natural dialogue, expressive faces and live exchanges to boost student involvement. Learners receive unique identification codes to engage with the robot, which tracks prior interactions and learning progress to tailor responses.

Besides the classroom robot, Realbotix will roll out its Optio AI system across the district as an always-available home tutor for homework assistance. Both tools include education-focused safety measures, the firm states.

Human teachers will continue leading the robotics classes and will oversee the robot interactions with students.

Optio starts with high schoolers enrolled in AI and robotics courses, with expansion planned to reach 500 learners by fall.

Superintendent Mark Beehler noted in comments to Syracuse.com that schools often try to block AI outright, yet students usually bypass such restrictions anyway. He stressed the importance of guiding young people on responsible technology use rather than avoiding it.

The announcement drew criticism from the teachers union and local residents.

New York State United Teachers president Melinda Person stated that education needs stronger human connections, guidance and chances for students to connect with inspiring teachers, not greater reliance on artificial systems.

Parent Sierra Abrams replied to a district social media post, arguing the technology adds an unnecessary layer to existing community challenges.

AI tools in schools

Since ChatGPT appeared nearly four years ago, districts have weighed the risks and benefits of generative AI, including concerns over academic honesty, mental growth and job preparation in an AI-driven world. Grassroots efforts such as District 14 Families for Human Learning and the Coalition for an AI Moratorium have urged lawmakers to pause AI adoption in K-12 settings for two years.

The current administration supports wider AI use in education. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has listed AI integration as a top goal, with millions allocated to related projects.

First Lady Melania Trump has backed classroom AI as well, appearing alongside an educational robot named Plato to highlight her Be First initiative and discussing plans for home-based AI robots to strengthen learning and critical thinking.

President Trump has backed U.S. AI firms, including a December executive order aimed at preventing states from passing rules that might slow data center construction or model development.

Robots alongside educators

Salamanca participates in Steve Wozniak Woz Ed STEM program, which emphasizes science and technology learning. The district also runs drone and robotics camps plus free Makerspace access, in addition to the Realbotix deal.

The district sits on the Allegany Indian Reservation and serves 1,300 students, nearly one-third of whom are Indigenous. Census data show higher poverty rates in Salamanca, with roughly four in five students considered economically disadvantaged. Critics worry AI tools could further marginalize learners in this already strained area.

A union representative noted that teachers received no advance details on the Realbotix contract and were told to route concerns directly to the superintendent rather than public forums.

The spokesperson added that teachers had no input on the robot placement and that the contract funds could instead support two human teaching assistants.

Realbotix maintains the program supplements existing STEM offerings and gives supervised exposure to new tools without displacing staff.

District officials have not yet replied to requests for comment.

Students not test subjects

While AI chatbots quickly pull information to create responses, they can also produce mistakes known as hallucinations. Superintendent Beehler told New York Focus the systems will reply I do not know instead of guessing, though it remains unclear how models would detect impending errors.

The union raised issues with both the technology and the provider.

The spokesperson wrote that students must not be treated as test subjects and expressed worries over the tool, its rollout and the sales approach used with administrators. The district should not serve as a launchpad for unneeded gadgets from a firm with Realbotix background.

Reports have linked Realbotix to adult-product maker RealDoll, a Simulcra subsidiary acquired in 2024. The Realbotix spokesperson stated no connection exists between RealDoll and the Sally development team, emphasizing focus on non-adult uses in healthcare and education. The two entities share no staff, payroll, sites or technology, and Realbotix plans to separate from RealDoll before classroom deployment.