Galgotias University Apologises After Robotic Dog Row at India AI Impact Summit

Galgotias University has issued a public apology after days of criticism over a Chinese-made robotic dog that appeared at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, admitting that a representative shared "factually incorrect information" on camera and confirming that the institution has now left the event venue.

The Greater Noida university has faced anger online after viewers accused Galgotias University of passing off an imported AI-powered robotic dog as a campus-made product. The institution has stressed that the staff member seen speaking in the viral clip was "ill-informed" and not cleared to address journalists.

Galgotias University AI Summit controversy and public apology

In a detailed statement dated February 18, the university said one pavilion representative misunderstood the product's background and spoke beyond authority. The press note stated: "We at Galgotias University, wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent AI Summit. One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press," the university said in a press release dated February 18.

Galgotias University has also confirmed it no longer remains at the India AI Impact Summit site. The institution said it chose to move out after sensing the mood of those running the event, adding in its note: "Understanding the organisers sentiment we have vacated the premises," while also asserting its focus on transparency.

Viral video at Galgotias University AI Summit controversy

The storm began when a clip from the summit spread widely on social media. Users claimed that university professor Neha Singh had introduced the Unitree Go2, an AI robotic dog made by Chinese company Unitree, as "Orion" and suggested it had been developed by Galgotias University researchers present at the summit pavilion.

Online posts alleged that the robot dog, which is available for sale globally, was projected as an Indian creation. Many viewers questioned whether Galgotias University had tried to claim credit for overseas hardware, and debates soon focused on ethics in research communication and openness in technology demonstrations at academic events.

Earlier statement on robodog in Galgotias University AI Summit controversy

Before the formal apology, Galgotias University had already posted a clarification on X about the machine's source and purpose on campus. The message stated that the robot dog had been bought from Unitree and was meant to help students engage with AI, robotics, and real-world engineering systems as part of their coursework.

The post read: "The recently acquired robodog from Unitree is one such step in that journey. It is not merely a machine on display; it is a classroom in motion. Our students are experimenting with it, testing its limits and, in the process, expanding their own knowledge. Let us be clear: Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we ever claimed to," the statement said.

Official pushback and online notes in Galgotias University AI Summit controversy

Government sources have said the university was instructed to exit the summit soon after the outrage, suggesting authorities wanted the pavilion shut quickly. Galgotias University, however, has maintained that no direct government order reached the institution, and that the decision to depart followed the organisers' sentiments instead.

The clarification itself then came under the scanner when X users attached a community note. That note argued the university had, at one stage, described the device as an in-house achievement. It said: "They have named the robot 'Orion' and explicitly claimed it was developed by their team," the community note said, calling the university's position "incorrect and misleading".

Facing these questions, Galgotias University has repeated that there was no wider plan to mislead visitors at the India AI Impact Summit. The institution has said there was "no institutional intent to misrepresent this innovation" and restated a commitment to "academic integrity, transparency, and responsible representation of our work" as conversations over the episode continue online.