A Charter School Spent $500k on AI-Powered Humanoid Robots. Was It Worth It?
Altus Schools, a San Diego charter chain, purchased two AI-powered humanoid robots called Ameca for $500,000 as part of a pilot program. The school promotes the robots as a research-based learning tool, while critics argue there is no proven educational benefit and warn of possible drawbacks. Early demonstrations showed the robot’s responses were often interrupted, rushed, and required multiple repetitions, highlighting challenges in its classroom use.
- ▪Altus Schools bought two ChatGPT-enabled humanoid robots, spending a total of $500,000 on the devices.
- ▪The robots are intended to help the district explore the role of AI and physical robots in education through a pilot research program.
- ▪Experts such as a University College London professor say there is no independent evidence that such tools are effective or safe in classrooms.
- ▪During a trial, the robot’s interaction with middle‑school students was marked by interruptions, rapid speech, and repeated requests for clarification, indicating usability issues.
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| Original publisher | Voice of San Diego |
| Canonical URL | https://voiceofsandiego.org/2026/06/24/a-charter-school-spent-500000-on-ai-powered-humanoid-robots-was-it-worth-it/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 26 Jun 2026 05:35:10 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-06-26T06:12:58.780Z |
| Last seen | 2026-06-26T06:12:58.780Z |
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| Summary source text | contentText |
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| Ranking reason | Story pages are not engagement-ranked. Hub feeds use recency, with optional source-diversified chronological ordering (cap consecutive stories per source). No personalized ranking. |
| Publisher visit | Yes — open original |
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Sign up for The Morning Report with all your must-read news for the day. In a strip mall in the sleepy San Diego neighborhood of Tierrasanta is one of the newest additions to San Diego’s education system. It stands 6 foot 2 inches, with a dull gray silicone face. Under its bald, transparent skull, purple lights pulse. Its bright blue eyes blink and flit from side to side. Its brow scrunches and its lips purse, creating a disconcerting simulacrum of emotion. All the while, the exposed motors in its elbows and shoulders whirr. Its name is Ameca, and it’s been touted by school officials as the “world’s most advanced AI-powered humanoid robot.” It’s one of two such ChatGPT-enabled robots purchased by local charter chain Altus Schools which, combined, cost them $500,000.
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