Boston Dynamics picks an AI-model leader to run a robot company

At a glance: Boston Dynamics named Rohit Prasad chief executive on 6 October 2026, effective 7 October. Prasad spent 12 years at Amazon, most recently as senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa and artificial general intelligence, and led development of the Amazon Nova foundation models. He takes over a company now wholly owned by Hyundai Motor Group, which plans to put Atlas humanoid robots into its factories. The hire marks a shift from engineering-led to AI-led leadership.

The appointment

Boston Dynamics announced on 6 October that Rohit Prasad would become chief executive the following day. He is expected to join the board, subject to the relevant approval process.

Prasad's career has been built on machine learning. He spent 12 years at Amazon, where he helped build Alexa into a large-scale consumer AI service and later served as senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa and artificial general intelligence. In that role he led development of the Amazon Nova family of foundation models. Before Amazon he spent nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, leading machine-learning research for government and commercial clients. He has been based in the Boston area for more than 25 years.

"Boston Dynamics is uniquely positioned to advance Physical AI through its world-class robotics expertise," Prasad said in the company's announcement. Jaehoon Chang, vice chair of Hyundai Motor Group and chair of the Boston Dynamics board, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Rohit to lead the company into this exciting new era of real-world Physical AI."

Prasad is the company's third chief executive since it was founded in 1992 as a spin-off from the MIT Leg Lab. His predecessor, Robert Playter, stepped down in February 2026 after six years as CEO and more than 30 years with the company, having overseen the move from research lab to commercial business and the launches of Spot, Stretch and Atlas. Chief financial officer Amanda McMaster served as interim CEO during the search.

Why an AI leader, not a hardware engineer

For three decades, Boston Dynamics has been defined by its mechanical engineering. Its robots became famous for balance, agility and dexterity, the product of years of work on actuators, control systems and locomotion.

WCRC analysis: Choosing a CEO whose expertise is large-scale AI models, rather than robot hardware, says something about how the company and its owner see the next phase. In humanoid robotics, the hard problem is shifting. Making a robot walk, lift and recover from a stumble is now achievable. Making it understand an unfamiliar task, adapt to a changing factory floor and learn from many deployments at once is a software and data problem. That is the problem foundation models are designed to address.

Prasad's experience also includes something many robotics leaders lack: running AI as a service at consumer scale. Alexa reached a very large number of homes, with the reliability, data pipelines and continuous updating that implies. A fleet of humanoid robots working across multiple plants will need the same disciplines.

The company's own language reflects the shift. Its announcement frames Hyundai Motor Group's manufacturing, logistics and mobility capabilities as a foundation for its "Physical AI" work. The term now appears repeatedly in how both the company and its owner describe its purpose.

Hyundai's plan for Atlas

The appointment follows a change in ownership. Hyundai became the sole owner of Boston Dynamics in 2026 after acquiring the remaining shares held by SoftBank.

Hyundai has clear plans for the technology. The group intends to deploy Atlas units across Kia factories and other plants worldwide, with an initial rollout from 2028. In September, Boston Dynamics opened a robotics centre at Hyundai's electric-vehicle plant outside Savannah, Georgia, and in June it began piloting robot training for repetitive tasks at the Robotics Metaplant Application Center. The company also plans to explore uses in other industries from next year.

Atlas is still described by Boston Dynamics as an electric humanoid platform in development. Turning it into a product that can work reliably in large numbers will be the central test of Prasad's tenure.

The risks in the choice

WCRC analysis: There are reasons for caution. Hardware companies run on long development cycles, supply chains and safety certification, all areas where a background in AI models offers limited help. Humanoids in factories must meet industrial safety standards, and failures are physical rather than conversational.

There is also the question of culture. Boston Dynamics' identity has been built by engineers who take pride in what the machines can physically do. A leader from the AI-model world will need to show that he values that craft while asking the organisation to think more like a software company.

Finally, the relationship with a single owner that is also the main customer shapes the strategy. Hyundai's deployment plans give Boston Dynamics a clear first market. They also mean that the company's priorities will be closely tied to one group's manufacturing needs, at least until other industries come on board.

The bigger signal for physical AI

WCRC analysis: Prasad's appointment may prove an early marker for physical AI more widely, if other companies that build machines start recruiting leaders from the AI-model world. The bet is that the companies that win in robotics will be those that can train, deploy and update intelligence across large fleets, not only those that build the best machines.

For business leaders outside robotics, the lesson is about where value is moving. When a hardware leader picks an AI executive to run it, it is telling customers, investors and talent that the software layer is now the strategic core.

What it means for leaders

• In hardware businesses adding AI, ask whether your leadership team includes people who have run AI at scale, not only built it in a lab.
• Pair AI-first leaders with strong engineering and safety leadership; physical products carry risks software products do not.
• If a single owner or anchor customer drives your roadmap, plan early for how to diversify into other sectors.
• Watch how Boston Dynamics talks about Atlas deployment milestones; they will be an early signal of how fast humanoids move from pilot to production.

Quick answers

Q: Who is the new CEO of Boston Dynamics? A: Rohit Prasad, formerly senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa and artificial general intelligence at Amazon, became CEO on 7 October 2026.

Q: Who owns Boston Dynamics? A: Hyundai Motor Group, which became sole owner in 2026 after acquiring SoftBank's remaining shares.

Q: What did Rohit Prasad do at Amazon? A: Over 12 years he helped build Alexa into a large-scale consumer AI service and led development of the Amazon Nova family of foundation models.