New Delhi: Private institution Galgotias University on Wednesday apologised for the “confusion” that arose after a Chinese-made robotic dog was showcased as its own innovation during the India AI Impact Summit.
The controversy began when Neha Singh, a communication professor at the university, told DD News that a robotic dog named ‘Orion’ had been developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence.
Soon after the video went viral, social media users pointed out that the robot was in fact the ‘Unitree Go2’, manufactured by Unitree Robotics. The quadruped robot is widely used globally for research and educational purposes.
As the issue escalated, the university was reportedly asked to vacate its stall at the AI summit venue.
In a statement, a university spokesperson said, “We would like to apologise for the confusion caused at the recent AI summit. One of our representatives present at the pavilion did not have complete information.”
The spokesperson added that the representative was unaware of the product’s technical origin and, in the excitement of appearing on camera, made factually incorrect remarks. “She was not authorised to speak to the press. The university had no intention of misrepresenting any innovation,” the statement said.
