San Diego Charter School Spends $500,000 on ChatGPT-Powered Humanoid Robots as Teaching Partners

Why Is a San Diego Charter School Spending $500,000 on Two Humanoid Robots?

If you were a charter school with a cool half a million to drop, what would you spend it on? Budgeting for multiple new teachers? Perhaps expanding your curriculum or purchasing new teaching materials? Funding some sort of overseas trip to broaden your students' horizons? Capital expenditure on your campus? Scholarships for underprivileged kids? If you answered any of the above, that's why you're not running a charter school. The correct answer is "buying two humanoid robots to lurk in your classrooms and function as fancy mouthpieces for ChatGPT." Or, at least, that's what San Diego charter school chain Altus Schools has decided. According to local news site Voice of San Diego, the school has spent $500,000 on two Ameca robots, a model described by its manufacturer, British-based company Engineered Arts, as "the world's most advanced social humanoid robot." The Ameca -- which looks like a cross between Natalie Portman in Ex Machina and the sadly underutilized shape-changing android Kamelion from Fifth Doctor-era Doctor Who -- apparently features "61 actuated degrees of freedom, allowing for natural and lifelike movements" and "a sophisticated communication system [that] enables multilingual conversations with advanced voice synthesis and personalization options for engaging human-robot interactions." The story is even wilder than it looks at first glance, too, because Voice of San Diego also acquired an email from the school's principal Cathryn Rambo, in which she professes to be "thrilled to be the first school in the world researching the use of physical AI as a teaching partner," going on to explain that "this initiative is part of a research study examining how AI can enhance student engagement and learning outcomes," and that "we plan to have Ameca onsite until Fall 2026." So, wait: what is this $500,000 actually getting the school? Engineered Arts' site doesn't provide a price for the Ameca, instead inviting potential buyers to request a quote, but this review puts the price at between $100,000 and $500,000, depending on configuration. If Altus is spending $500,000 on two robots, they're costing $250,000 each, which sounds like it should be enough for a purchase -- in which case, why are they only onsite for a few months? And whatever the cost, why is Altus paying six figures to provide data for a study? What is this study? Who's conducting it? Financial and ethical considerations aside, you might also find yourself wondering what the robots actually do. The answer appears to be that they function as a mouthpiece for a restricted version of ChatGPT. This, of course, raises the question of whether LLMs should be anywhere near a classroom, especially given that some experts are calling for an immediate ban on chatbot use by children. And even if for whatever reason a school does decide that LLMs have some utility in education -- a decision that'd be based on vibes, because it sure as hell ain't based on research -- it's unclear why you need to spend six figures on a weird robot to embody them, especially since it sounds like the experience of interacting with one of these things is awkward and difficult. Voice of San Diego sent a reporter to the school to watch a lesson wherein one of the robots pretended to be Nikola Tesla, in an interaction that even Rambo conceded was "clunky": "The interaction was rife with stops and starts[...]. Throughout it all, the robot spoke too quickly for the students[...]. They ultimately asked it to repeat its Tesla introduction three additional times as they scribbled away dutifully." This would be all fun and games if charter schools didn't get to do stuff like this while also merrily accepting public money. On average, the US Public Education system spends about $16,500 per student in a given year; California's spending is a little higher, at an average of $21,600. (If you're wondering, the District of Columbia has the highest per-student figure at $37,300, while Idaho brings up the rear with $11,200.) That means you could fund 23 kids' education for a year with the $500,000 spent on these robots, and still have change for some new books or something. But no, instead Altus Schools are spending half a million dollars to buy -- or maybe rent -- two glorified chatbots for a few months, all while providing data to someone else's study. If I were a parent whose kid was at one of these schools, I'd have many, many questions for Rambo at the next parent/teacher conference.

This San Diego charter school bought $500,000 worth of humanoid robots for the classroom

The newest teacher at San Diego charter school chain Altus Schools stands 6'2'', has bright blue eyes, and a bald head. It is also a robot. Ameca, which the school touts as the "world's most advanced AI-powered humanoid robot," is the name of a pair of robots purchased by the school for a combined, eyebrow-raising figure of $500,000. The purchase is raising questions among parents and community members. Altus expects the ChatGPT-enabled robots to be onsite this fall. Principal Cathryn Rambo wrote in an email to families that she was "thrilled to be the first school in the world researching the use of physical AI as a teaching partner," according to Voice of San Diego, which reviewed the email. Altus charter schools are designed for students who have fallen behind academically. They are given the chance to fast-track classes and catch up. The schools, particularly the San Diego location, have been credited with helping students succeed at impressive rates.

Meet the $500,000 ChatGPT-powered humanoid robots acting as teachers, counsellors and translators in a San Diego school

California's Altus Schools has deployed two life-sized, ChatGPT-powered humanoid robots, Ameca, to assist teachers and students. These robots can act as tutors, wellness coaches, career guides, and translators. While hailed as a futuristic step, the $500,000 investment faces criticism. Early trials show promise but also highlight limitations, with ongoing efforts to refine their interaction and ensure student safety and critical thinking. In a first-of-its-kind experiment, a school network in California has introduced two ChatGPT-powered humanoid robots to work alongside teachers and support students. Altus Schools, a charter school network serving thousands of students across San Diego County, has invested $500,000 in two life-sized Ameca robots. School officials at Altus Schools have hailed Ameca as the "world's most advanced AI-powered humanoid robot" and say the machines are part of a pilot program exploring how artificial intelligence and robots could one day help educate students. On the other hand, critics have questioned whether such an expensive experiment should be introduced to students, according to The New York Post. ALSO READ: Family leaves New York, buys $13,000 home in Italy and later purchases a second property Meet the ChatGPT-powered robots entering classroomsThe robots, called Ameca, were developed by UK-based robotics company Engineered Arts. Standing about 6 feet 2 inches tall, the humanoid robots can hold conversations, make eye contact, smile, blink and respond with lifelike facial expressions. Their conversational abilities are powered by ChatGPT, allowing them to answer questions, explain concepts and interact naturally with students. "We are thrilled to be the first school in the world researching the use of physical AI as a teaching partner," Cathryn Rambo, Altus' dean of academic studies wrote to the Voice of San Diego. ALSO READ: Woman loses 7.5 kg in 2 months after giving up rice, chapati and dosa Four AI roles in one robotAltus Schools has programmed the robots to switch between four different personas depending on student needs: 1. Classroom tutor The robot can help explain lessons, answer questions and reinforce concepts taught by teachers. 2. Wellness coach Students can interact with the robot for conversations about emotional well-being, healthy habits and everyday challenges. 3. College and career guide The AI can assist students in exploring colleges, scholarships, career options and future planning. 4. Language translator The robot can help bridge communication gaps between students, families and school staff who speak different languages. Why the school is testing humanoid AISchool leaders said they want to understand whether students engage differently with a physical robot than with a chatbot on a laptop or phone. Researchers call this concept "physical AI" or "embodied AI." The idea is that facial expressions, gestures, eye contact and body language could make interactions feel more natural and encourage participation. The pilot is designed to study whether these human-like features can improve learning experiences and student engagement. Early tests show promise and limitationsThe robots have already participated in classroom demonstrations. During one session, students asked the robot to role-play as inventor Nikola Tesla while discussing scientific concepts. While the activity showcased the robot's conversational abilities, it also revealed some challenges. School officials said the robot occasionally interrupted students, spoke too quickly and sometimes required questions to be repeated before giving useful answers. Administrators described the experience as a work in progress rather than a finished product. Safeguards are in placeTo address concerns around AI use in schools, Altus Schools said students are never left alone with the robots. All interactions are supervised by staff, and school officials say conversations are not permanently stored. Students are also encouraged to fact-check information provided by the AI, since generative AI systems can sometimes produce incorrect answers. Can humanoid robots become the future of education?The experiment comes as schools around the world increasingly explore AI tools for tutoring, language translation and personalized learning. Supporters believe humanoid robots could provide additional support for students and help schools prepare learners for an AI-driven future. Critics, however, question whether expensive robots deliver enough educational value to justify their cost and caution that students must continue developing independent thinking skills. For now, the San Diego project remains an early test. But it offers a glimpse into how classrooms may evolve as artificial intelligence becomes a bigger part of everyday education.