Boston Dynamics Names Ex-Amazon AI Chief Rohit Prasad as CEO

Boston Dynamics appointed former Amazon Alexa and AGI executive Rohit Prasad as its chief executive officer, effective October 7, 2026, as the Hyundai Motor Group-controlled company accelerates its push into commercializing Physical AI and humanoid robotics. The leadership change fills a vacancy left by the departure of former chief executive Robert Playter in February 2026.

"Boston Dynamics is uniquely positioned to advance Physical AI through its world-class robotics expertise. I am honored to join the company at such a pivotal moment for the industry. By bringing together advanced AI and robotics, we can build intelligent systems that create meaningful value in real-world environments, expand the reach of robotics across industries, and shape the next era of Physical AI," said Rohit Prasad, Chief Executive Officer, Boston Dynamics.

Leadership Background at Amazon and Raytheon BBN

Prasad brings more than two decades of artificial intelligence and machine learning experience to the robotics firm. During a 12-year tenure at Amazon, he served as senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence, where he helped develop the voice assistant and created the Amazon Nova foundation model family. Prior to his time at Amazon, Prasad spent nearly 14 years leading machine-learning research at Raytheon BBN Technologies. Subject to regulatory approval processes, Prasad is also expected to join Boston Dynamics' board of directors.

"Boston Dynamics' industry-leading robotics, Rohit's proven ability to turn AI into products at global scale, and Hyundai Motor Group's modern manufacturing, logistics, and mobility capabilities give us a powerful foundation to build and scale Physical AI. We are thrilled to welcome Rohit to lead the company into this exciting new era of real-world Physical AI," said Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair, Hyundai Motor Group, and Chair of the Board of Directors, Boston Dynamics.

Robotic Portfolio and Hyundai Integration

The executive transition arrives as Boston Dynamics scales its commercial product lineup, which includes three core robotic systems designed for different operational environments:

• Spot: A quadruped robot deployed primarily for industrial inspections and hazardous site monitoring.
• Stretch: A specialized box-moving mobile robot engineered for logistics, warehousing, and retail fulfillment centers.
• Atlas: An electric humanoid platform currently in active development for complex industrial tasks.

What is at stake in the appointment is the convergence of foundational artificial intelligence with hardware manufacturing at scale. Through its parent company Hyundai Motor Group, Boston Dynamics has access to extensive automotive manufacturing facilities, logistics networks, and mobility infrastructure. By combining Prasad's background in scaling generative models with Hyundai's industrial footprint, the robotics firm aims to transition advanced humanoid and quadruped systems from laboratory prototypes into commercially viable enterprise tools.