AIBRIEF
Sally is a silicone skinned humanoid built by robotics startup Realbotix that tracks students by ID and remembers each student's questions. The state teachers union is opposed.
Salamanca City Central School District, about 60 miles south of Buffalo, signed a $57,590 contract with robotics startup Realbotix to put a humanoid teaching assistant named Sally in select technology classes at the high school this fall.
Sally is a Realbotix M-series model with silicone skin and a wide range of facial movements, built to stay seated. Students get personalized ID numbers so the robot can remember their questions and learning data across sessions. Realbotix is also rolling out its Optio AI as an at-home tutor, with plans to reach roughly 500 students in the fall.
The state teachers union is on record against it. New York State United Teachers president Melinda Person told CNET the future of education "isn't more artificial intelligence. It's more authentic human intelligence: more relationships, more mentorship and more opportunities for every child to be seen, known and inspired by a great teacher." A parent, Sierra Abrams, also pushed back on the district's Facebook announcement.
Superintendent Mark Beehler defended the deal in a written response to Syracuse.com: "Many schools are taking the easy solution of simply banning [AI], but I have found that students will find a way around most rules that schools put in place." The trade is concrete: $57,590 for a silicone-skinned humanoid with persistent per-student memory, in exchange for an AI-literacy lesson and round-the-clock tutoring.
The WozEd agreement has not been independently verified for what Sally actually retains, who sees it, and whether opting out is real.