New York school district pauses humanoid robot pilot over privacy concerns
Salamanca City Central School District has paused a planned high-school humanoid robot pilot while it strengthens student-data safeguards and consults the community.
A New York school district has paused plans to introduce a humanoid robot at its high school following objections from educators and concerns about student data privacy.
Salamanca City Central School District said on July 24, 2026, that the pilot would remain on hold while it works on stronger student-data privacy agreements with the New York State Education Department and continues discussions with community members and other stakeholders. The district serves a large Native American population on the Seneca Nation reservation in western New York.
The proposed pilot involved a Realbotix robot named Sally. The company said in June that the roughly $58,000 machine was designed to use conversation, facial expressions and real-time interaction to support hands-on learning and expose students to emerging technology.
Teachers and union representatives questioned the system’s recording capabilities, how information would be collected and stored, and whether the program was appropriate for the school community. Some educators also objected to Realbotix’s corporate history and argued that students need sustained relationships with human teachers.
Realbotix chief executive Andrew Kiguel said the company respected the district’s decision and supported further due diligence. He described the proposed robot as a tool intended to assist teachers and students rather than replace educators.
The district has not announced a new launch date. It said further updates would follow after privacy protections and community consultation are addressed.
