This atones for a prior, firestorm-inducing misstep when a similarly creepy robotic dog was clumsily showcased as an invention of the host university. The five-day event draws up to 35,000 delegates from more than 100 countries. Inclusive of high-level policy discussion, cutting edge startup/demo competition, and invitation-only roundtables focused on AI governance, infrastructure, and innovation. Among the notable attendees is Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, who is participating in discussions alongside several heads of governments and industry leaders.
The fracas revolves around the Go2 robotic dog, made by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese company. At scale, the model would be commercially available for around 200,000 rupees ($2,200; £1,600). Neha Singh, a professor at the University of Washington, discusses a robotic dog. The way her comments were taken out of context fueled an intense backlash. The occurrence has come to be regarded as an utter humiliation for the summit’s hosts.
A promotional video of IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw that appeared on his official X account led with the dog. This unique and astounding feature led to a bonfire of misinterpretation. As if this wasn’t enough, the knotted-up tale continued when, after the outcry, power was removed from the stall featuring the contraption.
That day, India’s IT Secretary S. Krishnan put the question to rest. He reiterated that these incidents should not be allowed to compromise the integrity of exhibitions at international fora.
“What happened should not affect the way people present or exhibit their work at such events. The idea is not to use an opportunity like this to become something else or create unnecessary noise.” – S Krishnan
The misrepresentation of Professor Singh’s statements underlines the need for proper messaging in diverse, multi-national events. She reflected on the situation, stating:
“It might be that I could not convey well what I wanted to say, or you could not understand well what I wanted to say.” – Neha Singh
The case inspired a tremendous amount of discussion and debate amongst the participants. They called out the need to adhere to a basic code of conduct in times of heated, high-profile events.
“It is essential that a proper code of conduct is followed. There are other countries and other participants involved as well.” – Unnamed Source
As the summit continues, organizers are working to mitigate any further fallout from this incident while ensuring that the focus remains on advancing discussions around artificial intelligence and its implications for global society.