The event was held at Bharat Mandapam, one of the key venues for the AI Impact Summit, where the university had set up a kiosk displaying the robotic device.
The Viral Video and the Claim
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced online showing Professor Neha Singh introducing the robotic dog, named “Orion.” In the clip, she is heard saying that the device was developed at the university’s Centre of Excellence.
“This is Orion. This has been developed at the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University,” she said in the now-viral video.
The statement led many viewers to believe that the robotic dog was designed and manufactured by the university’s students or faculty.
The Chinese Connection
Shortly after the video gained traction, social media users pointed out that the robotic dog resembled products made by Chinese robotics company Unitree Robotics.
Unitree Robotics is known for producing advanced quadruped robots that mimic animal movement and are used for industrial inspection, research, and entertainment. The company’s robotic dogs are often compared to those developed by Boston Dynamics, particularly its well-known quadruped robot “Spot.”
Critics alleged that the university had presented a commercially available Chinese product as its own creation, sparking an online uproar.
University Issues Clarification
Amid mounting criticism, the Greater Noida-based university issued an official clarification denying claims that it had built or claimed ownership of the robotic dog.
“Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have we claimed,” the university said in a statement. “But what we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies right here in Bharat.”
The statement further explained that the robotic dog had been acquired from Unitree Robotics as part of the university’s broader investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“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,” the statement added.
Dr. Aishwarya Shrivastava, another professor representing the university at the summit, reiterated that the display had been misinterpreted.
“We never claimed that we manufactured it (robodog), it was only a part of our AI investment. It got misinterpreted in a big way,” she told ANI, adding that the university had not attempted to conceal the Chinese company’s branding.
According to the university, the robotic dog had been brought in primarily for research and development purposes.
Exit from the AI Summit?
Following the backlash, people familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times that the university had been asked to dismantle its pavilion and leave the AI Impact Summit.
However, the university denied receiving any such formal communication from organisers or the ministry.
“I do not have any information about that. What I know is that today we are all present here,” Professor Neha Singh told reporters on Day 3 of the summit.
Despite the denial, the robotic dog was no longer visible at the university’s stall. It was reportedly taken off display just hours after the controversy erupted online.
A Debate on Transparency and Innovation
The incident has sparked broader discussions about transparency in academic innovation and the presentation of imported technology at national platforms. While the university maintains that it never falsely claimed ownership, critics argue that the initial remarks created a misleading impression.
As the AI Impact Summit continues, the episode serves as a reminder of the heightened scrutiny institutions face in an era where innovation claims are quickly verified — and challenged — in the digital public sphere.
