A seemingly innocuous robot dog at Galgotias University’s pavilion during Delhi’s India AI Impact Summit has unraveled into a national conversation on authenticity, thanks to director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s pointed social media takedown. Branded as an AI excellence showcase, the gadget was outed as Unitree Robotics’ ready-made import, leading to the stall’s shutdown and regrets.
Agnihotri elevates the mishap to metaphor: It’s symptomatic of an education sector chasing illusions. ‘No shame in buying tech—everyone does—but claiming invention exposes deep-seated complexes and a showbiz obsession over substance.’
Private colleges, he charges, blur lines with power brokers, turning scholastic pursuits into profit machines and venues for extravaganzas, neglecting rigorous R&D. AI’s world-shaking potential is squandered as marketing bait.
He contrasts this with legendary hubs like Takshashila, where inquiry thrived sans interference, pulling scholars worldwide. Now, intellectual integrity burns as rivals advance: US-China labs pioneer foundational models with unchecked funding; India fiddles with peripherals.
‘Who plays Khilji now—the foreigner or our spectacle-loving apparatus?’ Agnihotri challenges. To pivot, detach academia from meddling, legislate freedom, embed AI in critical domains like agriculture and policy. The verdict: Real action over reenactments will secure India’s AI future.