An Indian university was reportedly expelled from an artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi after a professor presented a robotic dog manufactured in China as their own creation.
Galgotias University was instructed to dismantle its exhibit at the India AI Impact Summit when communications professor Nehan Singh claimed the robotic dog on display was developed by the university. Internet users identified the robot as the Unitree Go2, a product of China's Unitree Robotics, retailing for approximately $1,600.
Singh later stated that the situation may have been a miscommunication, explaining her intention was to inspire students by showcasing advanced technology. She clarified, "We cannot claim that we manufactured it," and that the robot was presented to students to encourage them to develop their own innovations.
Government officials described the incident as an embarrassment for India. A university spokesperson attributed the misrepresentation to an "ill-informed" representative, asserting there was no institutional intent to deceive. The university expressed it was "deeply pained" by the event, calling it a "propaganda campaign" that could negatively impact student morale.