New Delhi: A private Indian university was ordered to leave its stall at the AI Impact Summit after a staff member presented a Chinese-made robotic dog as the institution’s own creation, according to government sources.
During a televised interview, communications professor Neha Singh introduced “Orion,” claiming it was developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence. Social media users quickly identified the robot as the Unitree Go2, manufactured by China’s Unitree Robotics and widely available for research and education.
The incident drew criticism and cast a spotlight on India’s artificial intelligence ambitions. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the video clip on social media before deleting it amid backlash. Despite the controversy, the university’s stall remained open, with officials responding to questions about plagiarism and misrepresentation.
Galgotias University clarified that it did not build the robot, describing it instead as a “classroom in motion” for students to experiment with. The institution emphasized that its focus is on developing the skills and minds to create such technologies in the future.
The episode also drew political attention, with the opposition Congress party criticizing the government, calling the display of a Chinese robot as Indian-made “truly embarrassing” and “brazenly shameless.”
A TV reporter involved in the interview urged viewers to see the broader picture, noting that the incident should not overshadow the innovative work of India’s youth across hundreds of other exhibits at the summit.
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