San Diego School Integrates ChatGPT-Powered Humanoid Robots into Curriculum

A charter school network in San Diego has invested $500,000 in two humanoid robots powered by ChatGPT, promoting this high-tech acquisition as a pioneering advancement in education. However, some critics question if such an extravagant venture is necessary for student learning.

At the heart of this substantial investment stands Ameca, an imposing 6-foot-2 robot with a striking gray silicone face, animated blue eyes, and a transparent skull that emits a purple glow. Its exposed motors create a symphony of movement as it smiles, frowns, and surveys its surroundings.

Officials at Altus Schools have dubbed Ameca the “world’s most advanced AI-powered humanoid robot.” They believe these robots, as part of a pilot initiative, might revolutionize how artificial intelligence can assist in student education.

Designed for students aiming to recover credits and stay on the path to graduation, Altus plans to incorporate these robots into its resource centers. Here, students already benefit from personalized academic support sessions.

In a communication sent to families, Cathryn Rambo, the dean of academic studies at Altus, described the initiative as 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,” Rambo wrote to the Voice of San Diego.

Ameca can switch between four different personas: Sage the Teacher, Remi the Wellness Coach, Ari the College and Career Planner and Lexi the Translator, according to the email.

That wellness coach role is drawing some of the sharpest criticism.

“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,” Wayne Holmes, a professor of critical studies of artificial intelligence and education at University College London, wrote to the Voice of San Diego. “What we are increasingly hearing are bits of evidence that demonstrate the opposite.”

Holmes’ concerns extend beyond academics.

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

It also points to reports of what has been described as AI-induced psychosis, a term used for cases in which chatbot users developed psychotic tendencies alongside AI conversations or had delusional beliefs reinforced by chatbots’ often sycophantic responses.

According to the report, some people experiencing AI-induced psychosis have died by suicide, and children are considered especially vulnerable to forming unhealthy relationships with AI-powered chatbots.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters