Indian University Removed from AI Summit Over Robotic Dog Controversy

A controversy at a major artificial intelligence event in New Delhi has put the spotlight on credibility and transparency in India’s growing tech sector. A private Indian institution, Galgotias University, was asked to remove its exhibition booth from the India AI Impact Summit after controversy arose about a robotic dog displayed at its stand.

The issue began when a faculty member from the university, Neha Singh, spoke to the state-run broadcaster DD News. During the interview, she discussed a robotic dog named Orion, which was presented at the university’s pavilion. According to government officials, Singh suggested that the robot had been developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence.

Indian University Removed from AI Summit Over Robotic Dog Controversy

However, internet users quickly pointed out that the robot closely resembled the Go2 model made by Unitree Robotics. The product, known as the Unitree Go2, is commercially available and widely used in research and educational settings around the world. It is manufactured in China and has a starting price of around $1,600.

As the discussion spread online, criticism mounted. Observers questioned whether the university had falsely claimed the robot as its own creation. Soon after, government officials ordered the university to take down its stand at the summit. The move was seen as an attempt to prevent further embarrassment at a high-profile international event.

In response, Singh clarified that she had not directly stated the robot was developed by the university. She said it was only an exhibit at the booth. The university also released statements addressing the controversy. In its first statement, Galgotias University said it was “deeply pained” and described the situation as a propaganda campaign that could harm student morale. The statement emphasized that students were working hard to learn and innovate using global technologies.

A day later, the university issued another statement with a different tone. It apologized for the confusion and explained that Singh was not authorized to speak to the media. According to the university, she was not fully aware of the product’s technical origins and had given incorrect information in her excitement during the interview.

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It remains unclear whether the university permanently removed its booth from the summit. However, the incident has drawn attention to the larger goals of the event and the country’s ambitions in artificial intelligence.

The India AI Impact Summit is positioned as a key gathering for the Global South. It has attracted at least 20 heads of state and government, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to address the event.

Top technology leaders are expected to attend as well. These include Sundar Pichai of Google, Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Brad Smith of Microsoft, and Yann LeCun, executive chairman of AMI Labs.

India is seeking to present itself as a global hub for artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. The country hopes to attract billions of dollars in investment while promoting local innovation. Incidents like this highlight the importance of accuracy and trust as India works to strengthen its position in the global AI landscape.