Galgotias University Removed from AI Summit Amid Robot Dog Dispute
Sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday that organisers asked Galgotias University to vacate its stall at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 following a controversy over the display of a robotic dog that the university allegedly presented as an in-house innovation.
The action followed the circulation of videos on social media showing representatives at the university’s exhibition stall describing the robotic dog, named Orion, as a product developed by the institution’s Centre of Excellence. The videos triggered online scrutiny, with several users identifying the robot as a commercially available Chinese-made model.
Observers later identified the robot as the Unitree Go2, a quadruped robot manufactured by a Chinese firm and sold globally, including in India. Critics accused the university of passing off imported technology as original research at a high-profile national technology event.
Sources said that after the backlash summit organisers directed Galgotias University to immediately clear its exhibition space. Policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and students attended the AI summit, which aims to showcase indigenous innovation and credible research in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
In response, Galgotias University issued a statement denying any intent to mislead. The institution said it had procured the robotic dog as an educational tool to give students hands-on exposure to advanced AI systems and robotics, and clarified that it did not claim the robot as an invention developed from scratch by the university.
“The university displayed the robot purely for academic demonstration and learning purposes,” the statement said, adding that misinterpretation and selective circulation of video clips from the event fuelled parts of the controversy.
However, the clarification failed to stem criticism, especially after social media users highlighted discrepancies between the viral video statements and the subsequent explanation. Users also added a community fact-check note to the university’s post on X, pointing out the contradiction.
Officials associated with the summit have not issued a formal public statement, but sources said organisers took the decision to ask the university to vacate in order to preserve the credibility and integrity of the event.
The episode has reignited debate over transparency, attribution, and ethical representation of technology in academic and public showcases, particularly at platforms intended to promote genuine innovation.