Five hundred global AI thought leaders, 300 exhibitors, 60 ministers and 24 heads of state participated in the recently concluded AI summit in New Delhi. Yet it was a private Indian university showcasing a Chinese robot dog that garnered most eyeballs — and for all the wrong reasons. Details of the incident bear no repeating as they have streamed endlessly on our screens the past few days. However, the episode reflects something deeper, going beyond a misrepresented machine.
Stephen Covey, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, distinguishes between the “Character Ethic” and the “Personality Ethic.” As per his research, through much of history, success literature emphasised character — humility, integrity, authenticity and substance. Over time, that emphasis shifted toward personality — image, projection, technique and perception management aimed at quick gains.
The deeper takeaway from the hullabaloo is not a robot dog. It is the trend involving triumph of projection over principle.
What we witnessed was Personality Ethic in action. When image becomes paramount, truth becomes dispensable. Inconvenient facts are glossed over and convenient narratives are amplified. If challenged, denial and deflection are the initial recourse. If exposed, apologise — even if the apology lacks sincerity. And if no one notices, reap the rewards. The calculation is simple: visibility trumps credibility.
But what does this do to trust? What does it signal about the seriousness of Indian innovation at a global stage?
The episode also raises uncomfortable questions about parts of India’s private higher education ecosystem. Are glossy brochures, aggressive marketing and five-star campuses masking deeper academic weaknesses? Does projection substitute for rigour? The faculty member at the centre of the controversy was, ironically, responsible for teaching communication — yet struggled to communicate clearly under scrutiny. It is difficult not to wonder what standards of knowledge, skill and attitude such environments cultivate in the next generation.
The problem is magnified by social media’s short, intense attention cycle. Spectacle travels faster than substance. Projection can launch careers and institutions overnight. In the attention economy, notoriety is often deemed preferable to anonymity. Shrinking attention spans and declining due diligence among large sections of online audiences only reinforce this trend.
The result is out there for all to see. After the summit, almost everyone online knows about “Orion,” the imported robo-dog presented as indigenous. Far fewer have heard of genuinely Indian innovations — such as the robotic MULE developed to carry military payloads across mountainous terrain, or the UN-WFP warehouse robot designed to eliminate human entry during fumigation of food storage facilities. These are not theatrical exhibits. They are solutions to real problems. Yet they struggle for attention.
That contrast is the real loss.
Perhaps the most constructive response is to shift what we amplify. Instead of rewarding spectacle, we should spotlight genuine innovation — the engineers, researchers and students quietly solving hard problems without theatrical claims. When recognition follows merit rather than marketing, incentives begin to change. And when incentives change, behaviour follows.
Institutions pursue what is rewarded. If headlines celebrate exaggeration, exaggeration will multiply. If credibility, rigour and honesty receive sustained attention, they will become the new aspiration.
If India truly intends to lead in AI and emerging technologies (or in any field for that matter), it must build a culture where substance outweighs spin — where innovation does not need embellishment to command respect. That responsibility does not lie with universities alone. It rests equally with regulators, the media and each one of us who chooses what to amplify.