School Pauses Robot Project Amid Data Privacy Fears

Salamanca City Central school district in upstate New York has paused a pilot program involving a humanoid robot for its high school students. The district announced on July 24, 2026, that the project with Realbotix is on hold to address enhanced student data privacy agreements with the New York State Education Department and to continue community engagement.

The proposed robot, named Sally, was intended to use natural conversation and interaction for engaging learning experiences. However, the plan drew criticism due to Realbotix's acquisition of a company that manufactures sex dolls. The New York State United Teachers union condemned the proposal, stating that robots cannot replace the empathetic relationships students need with human educators.

Further concerns were voiced by local teachers regarding software security, data storage, and recording capabilities. Additionally, questions arose about piloting such technology in a school serving a significant Native American population, with some educators highlighting historical trauma related to past educational experiments on Indigenous children.

Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel stated that the company respects the school's decision and supports thorough due diligence. He emphasized that the robot is designed as a supportive tool for teachers, not a replacement.