An Indian professor has come under fire after incorrectly suggesting that a Chinese-made robotic dog showcased at a major artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi was developed by her university.
The silver robot, manufactured by Chinese startup Unitree Robotics, was displayed at a booth run by Galgotias University during the AI Impact Summit.
In a televised interview, the professor introduced the robot — named “Orion” — and claimed it had been developed at the university’s centres of excellence. As the mechanical dog performed tricks such as waving and standing on its hind legs, she praised the institution’s investments in artificial intelligence, saying it could “take all shapes and sizes” and describing it as “quite naughty”.
The remarks quickly sparked criticism online, with many accusing the university of misrepresenting the origin of the technology.
In a statement posted on X, Galgotias University clarified that it had not built the robot and had not intended to claim ownership. It said the recently acquired Unitree robodog was being used as a teaching tool, describing it as a “classroom in motion” for students experimenting with robotics and AI systems.
The controversy also drew political reactions. The opposition Indian National Congress criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting global leaders and delegates at the five-day summit. In a social media post, the party called the episode “truly embarrassing” and accused the government of allowing India to be ridiculed internationally over artificial intelligence claims.
Meanwhile, journalist Tapas Bhattachary, who conducted the interview, urged restraint, saying that the actions of a single exhibitor should not overshadow the innovation and talent of India’s youth participating in the summit.