Galgotias University issued an apology after falsely presenting a Chinese-manufactured robotic dog as their own innovation at the India AI Impact Summit, sparking controversy and leading to their removal from the event.
Private university Galgotias on Wednesday apologised for 'confusion' after a controversy arose over the display of a made-in-China robotic dog as its own innovation during the India AI Impact Summit and said one of its representatives manning the pavilion was 'ill-informed'.
The controversy erupted after Neha Singh, a professor of communications at the University, on Tuesday showed to DD News a robotic dog Orion, saying it 'has been developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University'.
As the video went viral, social media users highlighted that the robot was actually a Unitree Go2, manufactured by China's Unitree Robotics and commonly used in research and education worldwide.
As the episode snowballed into a controversy, the university was asked to vacate the stall at the AI summit.
"We wish to apologise for the confusion created at the recent AI summit. One of our representatives manning the pavilion was ill-informed," a university spokesperson said.
"She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and, in her enthusiasm for being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press. There was no institutional intent to misrepresent the innovation," the spokesperson added.
Earlier on Wednesday, IT Secretary S Krishnan said the government does not want any exhibitor to showcase items that are not their own.
"We do not want such exhibits to continue," he said, after organisers asked Galgotias University to vacate its stall.