A Robot Named Sally: A School Pilot and a Pause

This summer a rural high school district in western New York planned a pilot that would place a humanoid robot named Sally in upper‑grade AI and robotics classes. Sally is an M‑Series model from Realbotix with silicone skin, long brown hair, and upper‑body motion; the package includes an AI tutor platform called Optio and personalized login codes for students. The district paid $57,590 for the robot and software and it was intended to support, not replace, classroom teachers.

After public concern, the district paused the rollout on July 24, 2026 while it works through enhanced student data privacy agreements and community engagement. The state education department has said it is concerned about the robot’s effect in a high school classroom. Realbotix and local officials have said the system will be limited to classroom prompts and offline curriculum materials, while homework help will be available through Optio outside school hours. The pause gives the district time to answer questions from teachers, families, and the state before the program proceeds. Community meetings and technical reviews are planned this summer. Officials say they will share results before any classroom return.