Is Galgotias University Facing Backlash Over a Chinese Robotic Dog?
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New Delhi, Feb 18 (NationPress) A private university situated in Noida has faced severe criticism after showcasing a Chinese robotic dog as its own at the ongoing AI Impact Summit. Government sources revealed that the institution has been instructed to leave the expo immediately.
This decision follows a significant uproar on social media regarding the presentation of the Chinese robotic dog at its pavilion during the expo. In its defense, the University explained that it aimed to familiarize and equip its students with cutting-edge innovations in Artificial Intelligence and never claimed ownership of the robot.
Despite this, social media users were vocal in their criticism of the University, demanding accountability for the incident and an apology for the national embarrassment it caused.
The situation also caught the attention of the Chinese media, which ridiculed the Indian university for allegedly misrepresenting its technological advancements and promoting the Chinese robot as its creation.
The controversy erupted when Galgotias University showcased a surveillance robotic dog named “Orion” at the AI Summit held at Bharat Mandapam. A video of a University representative explaining the robot’s features went viral, only to be debunked as the device was actually a Chinese-made robodog.
In the video, the University representative mentioned that the robot was developed at its Centre of Excellence. However, social media sleuths quickly identified the gadget as an AI-powered Chinese dog sourced from Unitree Go2, revealing that the university was passing off this foreign technology as a domestic innovation.
As the controversy intensified, the University described the backlash as “negative propaganda” and asserted that it regularly introduces technological advancements from around the globe to expose its students to state-of-the-art innovations while emphasizing the development of indigenous capabilities.
“The newly acquired robodog from Unitree is a crucial part of this journey. It serves not merely as a display unit; it is a dynamic classroom. Our students are actively experimenting with it, testing its boundaries, and enhancing their knowledge. To clarify: Galgotias has not constructed this robodog, nor have we ever claimed it as our own,” the university stated on X.
The University’s attempts to mitigate the fallout from this embarrassing situation appear to have had minimal effect, prompting the government to take stern action, especially as the opposition has heightened its criticism of the mismanagement and disorganization at the AI expo.
An official statement from the University regarding its expulsion from the AI expo is still awaited.