‘AI Summit a disorganised PR spectacle’: Rahul Gandhi slams Centre amid Chinese robot row

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (Courtesy: PTI photo)

• Rahul Gandhi calls AI Impact Summit a disorganised PR spectacle
• Chinese robots showcased at summit spark criticism and mockery
• Galgotias Univ denies creating the displayed robodog

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticised the Centre over the ongoing AI Impact Summit in the national capital, terming it a “PR spectacle”.

“Instead of leveraging India’s talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle - Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased,” he wrote on X.

He was responding to a post by the Congress party, which said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government made a laughing stock of India globally, with regard to artificial intelligence (AI).

“In the ongoing AI summit, Chinese robots are being displayed as our own. The Chinese media has mocked us. This is truly embarrassing for India. What is even more shameful is the fact that Modi’s minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is indulging in the same falsehood, promoting China's robots at the Indian summit,” the party said.

“The Modi Government has caused irreparable damage to the image of the country - they have reduced AI to a joke - a field in which we could be world leaders given our data power. Brazenly shameless,” it added further.

Controversy broke out after Galgotias University drew online criticism for presenting a robotic dog named “Orion” at the AI Summit Expo, which critics claimed was actually the Chinese-made Unitree Go2 rather than an in-house creation. The university was subsequently directed to vacate its stall at the expo immediately.

On Tuesday, Galgotias University issued a clarification after facing criticism, saying it “never claimed to have built the device” and that it was procured from a Chinese manufacturer for academic purposes.

“Let us be clear, Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we claimed to do so. What we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer and manufacture such technologies in Bharat,” the university said.

Separately, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw apologised on Tuesday for the inconvenience faced by attendees amid reports of long queues and heavy crowds on the opening day on Monday.

"Whatever feedback you have, please share with us. We are open-minded. We have a war room operating right now...any issue which is there, please report to us. We definitely will take efforts to make it smoother and make it more enjoyable for all of you," the minister said at a briefing.