articleThe Brief A Western New York school district located six hours from New York City has paused plans to use a $60,000 humanoid AI robot following backlash over privacy and the manufacturer's ties to sex dolls. The pilot remains on hold while officials negotiate enhanced student data protections under state education privacy laws. School board members signed off on the purchase, saying it would help high school students interested in robotics and technology fields, per the AP. The pushback carried significant weight statewide, coming directly from New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the union representing more than 700,000 educators and school professionals across New York State. "A robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms," Person said.