Parents and Teachers Sound Alarm as US School Tests $57K Android 'Sally' From Sex Doll-Linked Firm

A New York high school has sparked fierce debate after approving a $57,000 (£42,704.68) AI robot from a company linked to the sex doll industry, despite warnings the technology could dehumanise classrooms.

Salamanca High School, located on the Seneca Nation's Allegany Territory in New York, is introducing a humanoid robot and an AI teaching assistant as part of a new pilot scheme.

Teachers have voiced strong opposition to the project, calling it 'inappropriate' and warning that deploying lifelike robots threatens to dehumanise the profession.

Meanwhile, local Native American residents have also criticised the scheme, branding its rollout 'culturally tone deaf'.

Realbotix's Controversial Background

Sally, an android costing $57,590 (£43,146.72), was acquired by the Cattaraugus County school district, which includes Salamanca High School.

A project presentation reveals that Sally functions as a closed-loop system, offering customised learning options while remaining accessible online around the clock for students with internet access.

According to a press release from Realbotix, the district is set to become the first in the US to introduce a humanoid robot and AI teaching assistant into its classrooms.

The company said: 'The Salamanca pilot also includes deployment of a Realbotix M-Series humanoid robot, which uses natural conversation, facial expressions and real-time interaction to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences.'

Realbotix, a Toronto-based company formerly operating as Tokens.com, acquired Las Vegas-based realistic sex doll maker Simulacra for $16.7 million (£12.51 million) in April 2024 as part of its transition from cryptocurrency into humanoid robotics.

Realbotix has denied ties to the sex doll manufacturer and also rejected suggestions that products from its subsidiary, Abyss Creations, are connected to the school pilot.

Teachers Raise AI Safety Concerns

'The Salamanca teachers' union as a whole is concerned about the background of the company of Realbotix. We're very concerned about the security of the software that they're implementing, and whether or not the data will be stored, how it will be gathered, are the recording capabilities,' said Lacey Pihlblad, president of the Salamanca Teachers' Association and a teacher at the high school.

'We would like to see the school district pause implementing the robot, pause implementing the software aspect of this AI technology until we can have more individuals weigh in.'

She also pointed out that New York state is currently moving away from the overuse of technology in classrooms.

'There's a growing consensus that indicates our students should be exposed to less technology. Placing a humanoid robot into the classroom to interact with our children, I believe, is a massive step in the wrong direction, and I believe that the majority of our teachers feel the same,' Pihlblad added.

'If we're going to do something of this magnitude, I feel we need to make sure that we do it the correct way, and I'm not sure that that's currently what's in place.'

Pihlblad said the union is currently wrapping up negotiations on a new contract that will include specific safeguards relating to artificial intelligence.

Native American Community Voices Opposition

Meanwhile, residents have also condemned the decision to use a school with a large Native American community as the trial site for classroom androids.

Native American students make up almost 40 per cent of the high school's total enrolment.