Controversy Erupts at India AI Summit
A controversy emerged at India's AI Impact Summit 2026 after Galgotias University presented what it called a "homemade" robot. It was later revealed that the robot was a Unitree Go2 model from a Chinese company, sparking backlash and raising concerns about transparency and authenticity at technology showcases.
- The robot in question was a Unitree Go2, a commercially available quadruped robot from a Chinese company, with prices for different models starting around $1,600 USD. - A professor from Galgotias University, Neha Singh, was featured in a widely circulated video claiming the robot, which they named "Orion," was developed by the university's Centre of Excellence. - In response to the backlash, summit organizers ordered Galgotias University to vacate its exhibition stall. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated that it wants "genuine and actual work" displayed at such events and does not want to encourage misinformation. - Galgotias University issued multiple statements, initially denying they claimed to have built the robot, before ultimately apologizing for the "confusion." The university blamed the professor for being "ill-informed" and speaking to the media without authorization. - The incident drew sharp criticism online and from political opposition, who argued it was embarrassing and damaging to India's reputation at a summit intended to showcase the nation's technological ambitions. - The India AI Mission, a government initiative to foster a robust AI ecosystem, was a key backer of the summit. The controversy was seen by some as a setback for the mission's goal of promoting indigenous AI development.
