AI As Teaching Partners? US Schools Spending Rs 4.3 Crore For Humanoid Robots

Last Updated:June 27, 2026, 23:27 IST

The main attraction of the project is Ameca, a 6-foot-2 robot with a grey silicone face, blinking blue eyes, and a transparent skull glowing with purple lights.

Have you ever wondered when AI would be used to teach children in a classroom? A charter school network in the United States has spent $500,000 (Rs 4.3 crore) on two ChatGPT-powered humanoid robots as part of a pilot programme exploring how artificial intelligence could be used to educate students.

The main attraction of the project is Ameca, a 6-foot-2 robot with a grey silicone face, blinking blue eyes, a transparent skull glowing with purple lights and exposed motors that move as it smiles, frowns and scans the room, according to The New York Post.

Officials at Altus Schools call Ameca the “world’s most advanced AI-powered humanoid robot" and revealed plans to use the robots at its in-person resource centres, where students already receive one-on-one academic support.

While school officials have lauded the move as the future of learning, critics have raised doubts about whether such an expensive project should be introduced to students.

AI As Teaching Partners? US Schools Spending Rs 4.3 Crore For Humanoid Robots

What Can Ameca Do?

The humanoid robot Ameca has four different personas to teach students: Sage the Teacher, Remi the Wellness Coach, Ari the College and Career Planner and Lexi the Translator, according to an email by Cathryn Rambo, Altus’ dean of academic studies.

Rambo called the project an “innovative opportunity for your student to participate in a research-based learning experience."

“We are thrilled to be the first school in the world researching the use of physical AI as a teaching partner," the dean said.

However, the project has attracted criticism over its impact on children. “There is no independent evidence at scale that the use of these tools is either effective or safe, or even have a positive impact on the classroom," said Wayne Holmes, a professor of critical studies of artificial intelligence and education at University College London.

The report also noted that even OpenAI has not fully solved the challenge of making AI chatbots safe for children.

This came after Realbotix Corp, a company that develops humanoid robots and AI technology, has introduced its AI teaching assistant, Optio, through a pilot programme at Salamanca City Central School District on the Seneca Nation Reservation in New York, according to Business Wire.

About the Author

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int...Read More

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