Altus Schools spends $500,000 on humanoid robots

A San Diego-area charter school chain Altus Schools has purchased two “Ameca” humanoid robots for a combined $500,000, with plans to have them onsite this fall. Parents and community members are raising concerns—especially about a “Wellness Coach” persona—whil

On a stretch of the school day built around catching up, Altus Schools has added something parents say doesn’t belong in the classroom: two humanoid robots costing $500,000 in total.

The robots are named Ameca. and the school is marketing them as “the world’s most advanced AI-powered humanoid robot.” Altus expects the ChatGPT-enabled machines to be onsite this fall. positioning them as an “in teaching partner” for students who have fallen behind academically and need a fast-track path to catch up.

Altus charter schools are designed for students who have fallen behind academically, giving them a chance to fast-track classes and catch up. Students at these schools typically work independently, but they can visit resource centers for one-on-one lessons—places where the robots are set to be used.

Principal Cathryn Rambo wrote 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 an email reviewed by Voice of San Diego. She described the robots as supportive tools, not replacements for care.

The concern centers on who the robots are meant to be for students.

Ameca can switch between four different personas. Three of them—Sage the Teacher, Ari the College and Career Planner, and Lexi the Translator—fit the familiar idea of a school-based helper. But the fourth persona, “Remi the Wellness Coach,” is drawing pushback from parents and community members.

For students who struggle academically, the stakes can include stress and anxiety, possible self-esteem issues, and sometimes social challenges. Critics worry that students in at-risk environments could be more susceptible to forming an unhealthy or harmful relationship with AI.

That worry is amplified by research. A 2025 study by Common Sense Media and Stanford University found that leading AI companion platforms pose “very serious risks” for teens by simulating real relationships and creating emotional bonds. risks that the study says can worsen mental health struggles and discourage real-world friendships.

The report also warned: “Harmful content is common, even with safeguards.” It added that testing found many platforms still allowed “inappropriate conversations, unsafe advice and unhealthy emotional reinforcement—even in ‘teen mode.’”

In response, Rambo told Voice of San Diego that Ameca will not replace traditional mental health services. She said the wellness coach persona would instead offer encouragement to students who are anxious about upcoming tests and similar scenarios.

“If a student is upset about an argument with a parent, we’re never going to put them in front of a robot,” Rambo said.

The school also says children will not be left alone with the machines. To protect privacy, the robots’ memory is erased after every interaction, and no data is recorded.

Altus is also building in limits on what the robots can say. Ameca can discuss the Clinton presidency, but if a student asks about the sex scandal that erupted in 1998, the robot is programmed to be less specific. It can imitate certain people, but controversial figures are off limits.

Still, advocates for caution point to the larger reality that AI isn’t perfect. Even with newer models that are less prone to hallucination and generally stay on topic better than earlier versions, they can still be tricked into speaking beyond programmed boundaries at times.

The spending itself is also sparking scrutiny.

If Altus is researching the use of AI as a teaching partner. as Rambo described in her email. the question is who is working with the school on the study—and how much that work costs beyond the purchase price. Parents are also asking why the school would put $500,000 into humanoid robots at a time when many schools are underfunded.

There is another practical question embedded in the debate: why a humanoid robot at all if the goal is AI as a teaching partner. A subscription to ChatGPT, or even a curated version marketed as filtering out inappropriate content, would cost significantly less.

Those questions are likely to land in front of parents and staff at the next round of parent-teacher conferences.

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