ALBAWABA - ‘Sally’ the $58,000 robot teaching assistant will be entering schools this fall raising concerns from students and teachers alike.
The humanoid robot developed by Realbotix will be heading into classrooms this fall, with silicone skin and long brown hair, ‘Sally’ is set to have a “lifelike appearance” according to Realbotix CEO.
The robot will fittingly start its teaching career in a specialized AI and robotics course, depending on this trial, the school will decide on expanding to other courses. Notably, the course was designed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to increase student interest in STEM.
The robot will be stationary but will be able to talk and have a wide range of upper-body movements and facial expressions, allowing students to ask it questions after giving it their student ID.
The community where the robot will debut, Salamanca, Allegany Indian Reservation, have expressed their opposition to the whole project saying:
"We already have so many issues in our community, including environmental issues. I just don't understand the concept of adding AI onto that," one parent said. "Bringing it into the school district is contradicting everything we believe, in my opinion."
To temper fears, the school said that robots "never replace teachers, staff members, or meaningful human interaction" and that human teachers will "remain at the center of every learning experience." It also confirmed the new robot will not store students' personal data or record any audio or video.
It remains to be seen if this is the beginning of AI entry into teaching at schools or if it's just a trendy novelty that will wear off.
