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Galgotias University staffers vacate stall at AI Summit amid row over Chinese robodog
A staff member told reporters that there will be an official press release later to clarify all doubts.
The staff and students of Galgotias University (Greater Noida) on Wednesday vacated their stall at the India AI Impact Summit being held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
This came amid the Chinese robodog row. A video released by ANI news agency shows the staff and students of the university leaving their stall. A staff member told reporters that there will be an official press release later to clarify all doubts. The visuals also show the power at the stall cut off.
According to people aware of the matter, the university was asked to vacate the expo or causing a “national embarrassment” by claiming a Chinese Unitree robodog as its own. However, Professor Neha Singh of Galgotias University said the institution has not received any such directive.
“We have not received any such direction. Galgotias University is a very responsible institution," Singh said, according to an earlier HT report. Visuals had earlier shown that the power to the university stall had been cut off.
What is the Chinese robodog row? Galgotias university's response
The viral clip which sparked the row shows Professor Neha Singh, who while referring to the robodog, says, “You need to meet Orion. This has been developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University.”
She said the machine was capable of surveillance and monitoring, adding that it moves freely in the campus. However, viewers soon looked the machine up online, and claimed that the robot dog had actually been sourced from Chinese robotics firm Unitree.
Following this, Galgotias university clarified in a statement on social media that it had never claimed to have developed the robot. “Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we claimed to do so.” the university said. “What we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies here in Bharat,” it added.
In another statement late on Tuesday, the university said its faculty and students are deeply pained by the “propaganda campaign”. It said that the university provides students with access to modern technologies for them to gain practical experience. “Spreading negativity can harm the morale of students, who are working hard to innovate, learn, and build their skills using global technologies,” the university said.
