A recent incident involving an Indian university has stirred up controversy after a professor misrepresented a Chinese-made robot dog during a major artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi. Neha Singh, a communications professor at Galgotias University, claimed that the robot, presented as “Orion,” was developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence. However, social media quickly identified the device as the Unitree Go2 robot, manufactured by China’s Unitree Robotics and priced at approximately $2,800.
The fallout from this revelation has been significant, casting a shadow over India’s aspirations in the AI sector. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inadvertently fueled the embarrassment by sharing a video clip of the robot on his social media before deleting the post amid the backlash.
In response, both Singh and Galgotias University clarified their position, stating that they never claimed the robodog was a university project. “Let us be clear, Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have we claimed,” the university stated in a post on X. The institution emphasized its commitment to cultivating talent that can innovate in technology, indicating that while the robodog wasn’t theirs, the potential to create such advancements lies within their educational framework.
Despite the controversy, Galgotias’ booth remained open for inquiries, where university representatives addressed questions surrounding accusations of misrepresentation and plagiarism. A spokesperson mentioned that the university had not received any communication about being expelled from the India AI Impact Summit, which runs through Saturday.
The incident has garnered political attention, with the Indian National Congress seizing the opportunity to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They accused his administration of making India a “laughing stock” due to the incident at the summit, a gathering attended by various global leaders and tech executives, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
While the summit has faced organizational challenges, including overcrowding, it has also seen over $100 billion in investment commitments for AI projects in India. Major contributions have come from companies like the Adani Group, Microsoft, and Yotta, reflecting a strong interest in advancing the country’s position in the global AI landscape. Despite the setbacks, the potential for growth and innovation in India’s AI sector remains robust, offering hope for the future as the country navigates through these incidents.