A controversy has erupted at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi after Galgotias University was reportedly asked to vacate its stall for allegedly presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog as its own innovation. The robot, identified by social media users as the Unitree Go2 developed by Unitree Robotics, was showcased under the name “Orion.”
In a viral video, a university professor claimed the robot was developed by the institution’s Centre of Excellence. However, online users quickly pointed out that the product is commercially available for around $2,800 and widely used in research and education worldwide. The incident drew criticism and raised questions about authenticity and representation at a major technology forum.
The controversy intensified after IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the video on social media before later deleting the post. Galgotias University subsequently clarified that the robot was not developed by them and denied making any such official claim.
The summit, held at Bharat Mandapam, is being promoted as a landmark AI gathering in the Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei are scheduled to address the event.
While the summit has seen investment pledges exceeding $100 billion from companies like Adani Group and Microsoft, the incident has cast a shadow over India’s AI ambitions and highlighted the need for transparency and credibility in innovation showcases.
AI Summit Embarrassment: Indian University Accused of Showcasing Chinese Robot as Own Innovation
