NEW DELHI — Galgotias University was removed from the India AI Impact Summit on Wednesday after a staffer showcased a commercially available robotic dog from China and implied it was the university’s own creation.
The robot, identified online as the Unitree Go2 from Unitree Robotics, sells for around $1,600 and is widely used in research and education. A professor from Galgotias, Neha Singh, told state broadcaster DD News that the robotic dog “Orion” was developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence.
Internet users quickly pointed out the error, leading to embarrassment for the university and scrutiny from summit organizers. Galgotias later apologized, explaining that Singh was “ill-informed” and not authorized to speak to the media.
Context
The India AI Impact Summit is a flagship event aimed at positioning India as a global hub for AI innovation. This year’s summit is attended by heads of state and tech leaders, including:
- Narendra Modi
- Emmanuel Macron
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
- Sundar Pichai
- Sam Altman
- Cristiano Amon
- Brad Smith
- Yann LeCun
The incident highlights the pressure on India to showcase credible domestic innovation while attracting international investment in advanced technologies.
