New York Could Ban Robot Teachers From Classrooms

If the thought of a humanoid robot teaching kids in a New York classroom sounded a little too much like something out of a science fiction movie, you're not alone. Now, some New York lawmakers want to make sure it never becomes a reality in schools across the state.

State senators have introduced a new bill that would ban school districts and charter schools from using AI-powered humanoid robots to perform the duties of teachers.

New York School District Planned To Have Robot Teacher

Last month, we learned that the Salamanca City Central School District was preparing to become one of the first school districts in the country to put a humanoid robot in a classroom. The Upstate New York school district had partnered with technology company Realbotix, which developed a humanoid robot named Sally.

Robot Teacher

Sally was designed to look and move much more like a person than the typical robot. It has lifelike silicone skin, long hair, facial expressions, and a variety of upper-body movements. The plan was for Sally, along with an AI-powered digital avatar, to provide students with personalized learning assistance.

The idea quickly attracted attention, and not all of it was positive.

Robot Teacher Plan Put On Hold In Upstate New York

Parents and others raised concerns about artificial intelligence, student privacy, and whether a machine should be taking on responsibilities traditionally handled by teachers. The controversy eventually caught the attention of the New York State Education Department.

According to New York Focus, NYSED Education Commissioner Betty Rosa sent Salamanca school officials a letter on July 24 expressing concerns about the potential effect a humanoid robot could have inside a high school classroom.

Hours later, the district announced that it was putting the project on hold while it worked through student data privacy agreements with the state.

Now, lawmakers want to go a step further.

New York to Ban Robot Teachers

New Bill Would Ban Humanoid Robots In Schools

The new legislation would require school districts and charter schools to adopt written policies prohibiting AI-enabled humanoid robots from performing the responsibilities of a teacher, including classroom instruction, one-on-one instruction, tutoring and grading student work.

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State Senator Shelley Mayer, chair of the Senate Education Committee, said she decided to introduce the bill after reading the reporting about Salamanca's plans. Mayer said she was shocked by what she described as a "glaring mistake of judgment."

She also argued that education is about much more than simply delivering information to students. As Mayer put it, learning also requires human interaction, and she believes using a humanoid robot for instruction crosses a line.

What Happens Next?

The new humanoid robot ban won't take effect anytime soon, even if lawmakers ultimately approve it.

The legislature is expected to consider the bill when it returns in January. The proposal is also part of a much larger debate taking place in New York over how quickly schools are adopting artificial intelligence and other technology.

Parents, teachers and education groups have been calling for more oversight, clearer rules and greater transparency before schools spend taxpayer money on new technology.

For now, the robot teacher that was supposed to be walking into a Western New York classroom this fall remains on hold.