'Trust Must Be Earned Every Single Day': Indian Smartphone Brand Ai+ Breaks Silence On Chinese Links Controversy
· Free Press Journal
Embattled Indian smartphone brand Ai+ has issued a formal public statement in response to the sweeping controversy triggered by popular tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss, acknowledging the criticism and promising ongoing improvements. Brand head Archi Gogoi issues measured statement as scrutiny over privacy and manufacturing claims intensifies.
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Archi Gogoi, Head of Brand, Marketing and Growth at Ai+, said in a statement to Free Press Journal, "Building a new technology brand comes with immense responsibility, and we recognise that trust must be earned every single day."
The statement stopped short of directly addressing the specific allegations. Chinese-linked software, rebranded ODM hardware, or legal action against Indian YouTubers, but signalled the company is taking the feedback seriously.
Indian Smartphone Brand Ai+ Faces Scrutiny After YouTuber Questions Chinese Links & ‘Made In India’ Claims'Constructive Feedback' and a Pledge to Improve
Gogoi said the company had 'taken note of the observations and feedback shared by the tech community,' framing the criticism as part of a learning process rather than a reputational crisis.
"As a young brand, we are continuously learning and evolving," she said, adding that Ai+ had "already implemented several improvements across software, user experience, governance measures, and operational processes" in recent months.
The company reiterated its ambition to "build products that consumers can trust" and to "communicate with greater clarity and transparency" an implicit acknowledgement that its messaging had fallen short.
FPJ Exclusive | 'We're Not Assembling Phones, We're Building An Ecosystem': Ai+ CEO Madhav Sheth On Manufacturing Devices In NoidaNotably absent from the response was any direct rebuttal of the investigation's core findings. The presence of apps linked to China-based Sprocomm Technologies on test devices, near-identical hardware to existing Chinese ODM models, and the legal notices sent to Indian tech creators including Gyan Therapy and TechWiser, forcing takedowns of critical reviews.
CEO Madhav Sheth had previously addressed some of these points directly in video calls with Mrwhosetheboss, claiming the Chinese-linked apps appeared only on pre-production units and that the legal action was taken 'in haste.'
Ai+, founded by former Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth, launched in 2025 marketing devices like the Pulse and Nova series as privacy-first and "expertly engineered and meticulously built in India," with data stored in Indian Google Cloud regions.
Mrwhosetheboss's investigation found pre-installed apps built in China with rebranded package names, hardware virtually identical to ZTE models, and an OS resembling Realme's software,directly contradicting the brand's sovereignty narrative. The brand had notably used advertising highlighting Chinese data privacy risks as a selling point, making the findings particularly damaging.
The full statement from Ai+ can be found below:
Archi Gogoi, Head of brand, marketing and growth told FPJ, "Building a new technology brand comes with immense responsibility, and we recognise that trust must be earned every single day. We have taken note of the observations and feedback shared by the Tech community. We view constructive feedback as an important part of our journey and are carefully reviewing the points raised to identify areas where we can further strengthen our products, processes, and communication. As a young brand, we are continuously learning and evolving. Over the past few months, we have already implemented several improvements across our software, user experience, governance measures, and operational processes, and this commitment to improvement remains ongoing. Our focus remains unchanged: to build products that consumers can trust, communicate with greater clarity and transparency, and create a technology brand from India that can compete on a global stage while making advanced technology accessible to millions"