NY district puts 'Sally' the sexbot teaching aide on hold

"Sally" was all set to start its first job as a teaching assistant, but now plans to debut the humanoid robot are on hold, reports Melissa Manno in New York Focus. Before deploying the robot -- made by a company that also makes sexbots -- the Salamanca school district will “work through enhanced student data privacy agreements.”

The district, which is located on Seneca Nation territory, allocated $57,590 for the Realbotix robot and an AI software program allowing "Sally" to interact with high school students learning robotics, coding and AI.

In 2024, Realbotix acquired the company behind RealDoll, which creates hyperrealistic sex dolls, reports Manno. "In a statement released this week, New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person said “a robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms,” emphasizing that robots — no matter how “lifelike” — are incapable of the human connection students require in order to thrive."

The robot "will never replace teachers, staff members or meaningful human interaction," the district pledged in an earlier statement, reports Shane Galvin in the New York Post. It's designed to help students -- but not just provide answers -- in STEM classes developed by Apple founder Steve Wozniak.

"Sally," which resembles a store mannequin, can move its upper body, but is not designed to walk. (A more expensive version can move on wheels.) I don't think students will confuse the bot for a human.