Galgotias asked to leave over Chinese robot display
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Private institution Galgotias University was asked to vacate its stall at the AI Impact Summit after a controversy erupted over the display of a made-in-China robotic dog being presented as an in-house innovation.
The decision came after IT Secretary S Krishnan said the government does not want exhibitors to showcase products that are not their own creations. “We do not want such exhibits to continue,” he said, adding that misrepresentation would not be tolerated.
The controversy began when a university professor told DD News that a robotic dog named ‘Orion’ had been developed by Galgotias’ Centre of Excellence. The video went viral, prompting social media users to point out that the robot was actually a Unitree Go2, manufactured by China’s Unitree Robotics and widely used in research and education.
Following the backlash, Galgotias University apologised, saying the staffer at the pavilion was “ill-informed” and not authorised to speak to the media. The university said there was “no institutional intent to misrepresent” the robot and that it remained committed to academic integrity and transparency. It added that it vacated the premises in keeping with the organisers’ sentiment.
