Teacher, counsellor & translator: San Diego school unveils $500,000 ChatGPT-powered robots

Published 30 June 2026 · tech

Ameca, an AI-powered humanoid robot is designed for advanced human-robot interaction. Meet the ChatGPT humanoid robots entering classrooms Four specialised personas in one robot Early

Ameca, an AI-powered humanoid robot is designed for advanced human-robot interaction. Meet the ChatGPT humanoid robots entering classrooms Four specialised personas in one robot Early classroom demonstrations revealed both promise and challenges The idea behind 'physical AI' Safeguards have been built into the programme Experts urge caution despite the excitement What this could mean for the future of education A charter school network in San Diego is testing what could become one of the most ambitious experiments yet in AI-assisted education. Altus Schools has invested $500,000 in two Ameca humanoid robots that use ChatGPT to interact with students through natural conversations and lifelike facial expressions. The robots are designed to support teachers by serving as classroom assistants, wellness coaches, college planners and translators rather than replacing human educators. School leaders say the pilot will help them understand whether "physical AI" can improve student engagement, personalise learning and prepare young people for a future in which artificial intelligence is expected to play an increasingly important role. The initiative has attracted global attention while also raising questions about cost, effectiveness and ethics.The project has been launched by Altus Schools, a California-based charter school network that provides personalised education to thousands of students across San Diego County. The organisation serves learners with diverse needs, including those recovering academic credits, balancing work or family responsibilities, experiencing homelessness or living with disabilities.School leaders describe the initiative as a research project aimed at understanding how physically present AI can support teaching and learning. Rather than evaluating another chatbot on a computer screen, they want to study whether students interact differently with a life-sized humanoid capable of speaking, making eye contact and responding with facial expressions.The robots purchased by Altus are Ameca, developed by UK robotics company Engineered Arts, which specialises in creating robots for human interaction and research.Standing approximately 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 metres) tall, Ameca is designed to appear approachable and expressive.

It features a realistic grey silicone face capable of smiling, blinking, raising its eyebrows and displaying a range of emotions. Cameras allow it to maintain eye contact during conversations, while microphones and speakers enable natural voice interactions. Its transparent head reveals internal electronics, and advanced motors in the neck, shoulders, arms and hands produce smooth, human-like movements.Unlike industrial robots built for manufacturing, Ameca was designed primarily for communication and social interaction, making it suitable for education, research and public demonstrations.Although often described as a ChatGPT-powered robot, Ameca itself was created by Engineered Arts, while its conversational abilities come from large language models such as ChatGPT.This combination allows the robot to answer follow-up questions, explain complex topics in simple language, adapt conversations based on student responses and engage in discussions across a wide variety of subjects. Its expressive gestures and facial movements are intended to make these interactions feel more natural than conversations with a text-based chatbot.The robots can instantly switch between four different AI personas, allowing them to support students in different situations.Sage acts as a classroom tutor, helping explain lessons, answer questions and reinforce concepts taught by teachers.Remi functions as a wellness coach, encouraging conversations about emotional wellbeing, healthy habits and managing everyday challenges. It is designed to complement, not replace, professional counsellors.Ari serves as a college and career planner by helping students explore higher education options, scholarships, career pathways and future goals.Lexi works as a multilingual translator, helping bridge communication gaps between students, families and school staff who speak different languages.The robots have already participated in trial classroom sessions, offering an early glimpse of how they might fit into education.During one demonstration, students asked the robot to role-play as inventor Nikola Tesla while discussing scientific ideas.