In Shorts
- Galgotias University came under fire for presenting a Chinese robotic dog as its own innovation at the India AI Impact Summit.
- The robot was quickly identified online as Unitree Go2, a commercially available product from China.
- The university apologized for the confusion and was asked to vacate its summit stall by organizers.
New Delhi. A major controversy has erupted at the India AI Impact Summit following a misstep by Galgotias University that has drawn widespread criticism online and from officials alike.
At the high-profile technology event in New Delhi this week, representatives from the Greater Noida-based private university displayed a quadruped robot they labelled “Orion” and suggested it was developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence. Within hours of the presentation, social media users and industry observers identified the machine as the Unitree Go2, a commercially available robotic dog manufactured by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics. The robot is widely sold for education and research purposes across the world.
A video capturing the moment quickly went viral online. In the clip, a university communicator spoke about the robot’s abilities and implied it was a product of the institution’s innovation efforts, prompting immediate online pushback. Critics pointed out that the robot’s branding and design clearly matched the Chinese-made model, leading to accusations that Galgotias was misrepresenting an off-the-shelf product as homegrown technology.
As the fallout intensified, organisers of the AI Summit reportedly cut power to the Galgotias stall and asked the university team to vacate their exhibition space. Government officials underscored that summit participants should only showcase technology they have genuinely developed. In an official statement, India’s IT Secretary emphasised that exhibits must represent original work, and items not created by exhibiting institutions should not be displayed.
In response to the uproar, Galgotias University issued an apology acknowledging the confusion. The university said the staffer at the stall was “ill-informed” and not authorised to speak to media, and that there was no institutional intent to mislead about the robot’s origin. The statement clarified that the robot was procured as a learning tool for students and not manufactured by the university itself.
The incident has sparked broader debate about transparency, accountability and academic integrity at major industry events, particularly as India seeks to position itself as a rising hub of artificial intelligence and advanced technology. Critics have also questioned how a university with claims of significant AI investment could present an imported product in a flagship showcase.
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