The Salamanca City Central School District has decided to temporarily halt its innovative pilot project with Realbotix, a tech company specializing in humanoid robots. This decision comes just hours after the State Education Department expressed reservations about the initiative, which was first reported by New York Focus last week.

The district’s announcement, made via a Facebook post on July 24, 2026, marks a significant shift in the planned integration of the AI-powered robot, Sally, into the curriculum of Salamanca high school. The robot, designed to assist in 11th- and 12th-grade coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence courses, was set to begin its role this fall.

AI Teaching Assistant Joins STEM Classes

Sally, the humanoid robot, is equipped with advanced features including silicone skin, long brown hair, and movable arms, hands, head, and facial expressions. Despite its lifelike appearance, Sally remains seated and cannot walk due to its stationary legs. Students will interact with Sally both in person and through a digital avatar accessible on school-issued laptops.

The district emphasized that Sally operates on a closed, offline artificial intelligence system, programmed exclusively with the school’s curriculum. Key features of the system include:

  • No internet access
  • No facial recognition capabilities
  • No audio or video recording
  • No collection or transmission of student data to Realbotix

District Says Teachers Will Remain Central

Superintendent Dr. Mark Beehler acknowledged the significance of introducing artificial intelligence into the classroom, stating, “It’s exciting but also a bit nerve-wracking.” He noted that while some may resist change, AI is already prevalent in schools and represents the next step in educational technology.

School leaders underscored that Sally is intended to supplement classroom instruction rather than replace educators. “The Realbotix educational robot will never replace teachers, staff members, or meaningful human interaction,” the district stated. “Instead, it serves as another instructional tool that educators can use to engage students, reinforce classroom learning, and spark curiosity about emerging technologies.”

Officials highlighted that Sally is designed to encourage critical thinking by guiding students through problems rather than simply providing answers. The district has even customized Sally’s speech to include a Western New York accent, aiming to make interactions feel more natural for local students.

Customized for the Classroom

Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel described the deployment as a milestone for artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics in education. Although the company also manufactures companion robots, Sally has been specifically adapted for educational use. The robot will initially support courses within the Woz Ed STEAM curriculum, developed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

The Salamanca district plans to evaluate the pilot program before determining whether to expand Sally’s role in additional classrooms. While the project has generated interest as one of the nation’s first deployments of a humanoid classroom assistant, it has also sparked debate online, with some questioning the role of AI in education. School officials maintain that human teachers will remain at the center of instruction while Sally serves as an additional educational tool.