Boston Dynamics Names Rohit Prasad as New CEO

Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 7, 2026, as the robotics company accelerates its strategy around Physical AI. Prasad brings extensive experience in artificial intelligence, product development, and large-scale commercialization from Amazon and Raytheon BBN Technologies. His appointment is expected to strengthen Boston Dynamics’ robotics and AI leadership as the company works to bring intelligent robots into more industrial and commercial environments.

Rohit Prasad Takes Leadership at Boston Dynamics

Prasad joins Boston Dynamics after spending 12 years at Amazon, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence.

During his time at Amazon, Prasad played a major role in developing Alexa from its early stages into a large-scale consumer AI service used across hundreds of millions of households. He later led the development of Amazon Nova, a family of foundation models designed for enterprise applications.

His experience combines AI research with the development of products designed for large-scale commercial use. Boston Dynamics plans to apply that experience as it expands the role of AI within its robotic systems.

Prasad is also expected to join Boston Dynamics’ Board of Directors, subject to the relevant approval process.

From Amazon AI to Physical AI

Prasad’s appointment comes as Boston Dynamics increases its focus on Physical AI, which combines artificial intelligence with robotics to help machines operate more autonomously in real-world environments.

Unlike AI systems that operate primarily through software, Physical AI must interact with physical surroundings. Robots need to perceive environments, understand situations, make decisions, move safely, and adapt to changing conditions.

Boston Dynamics believes combining its robotics expertise with advanced AI can create machines capable of supporting industrial and commercial operations at greater scale.

Prasad’s background in AI product development gives the company an executive with experience translating complex AI technologies into widely deployed products.

Prasad Brings Extensive Machine Learning Experience

Before joining Amazon, Prasad spent nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies.

At BBN, he led machine-learning research and worked on applications for government and commercial customers. His career therefore spans both fundamental AI research and practical applications of machine learning.

Prasad has also spent more than 25 years in the Boston area, where he has developed relationships across the region’s technology, academic, and business communities.

Boston Dynamics said those connections can support its efforts to attract talent, develop technology partnerships, and accelerate innovation.

Boston Dynamics Pushes Physical AI Commercialization

The leadership change comes as Boston Dynamics moves its robotics technology toward broader commercial deployment.

The company develops several AI-enabled robotic platforms, including Spot, Stretch, and Atlas. Spot supports industrial inspection and facility operations, while Stretch focuses on box movement for logistics and retail applications. Atlas is the company’s electric humanoid robot platform.

The company has increasingly focused on turning its robotics research into systems that can perform practical work in industrial environments.

That transition requires improvements across robotics hardware, artificial intelligence, autonomy, manufacturing, safety, and deployment.

Prasad will lead the company during this shift from advanced robotics development toward larger-scale commercialization.

Atlas Moves Toward Industrial Applications

Atlas is central to Boston Dynamics’ Physical AI strategy.

In September, Boston Dynamics opened the Robotics Metaplant Application Center at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. The facility provides a test and training environment where Atlas robots can learn tasks within automotive manufacturing operations.

The initial training focuses on activities such as preparing and sequencing automotive parts before placing them in the correct order for assembly.

Boston Dynamics and Hyundai Motor Group plan to expand Atlas applications over time. The company said future applications could include component assembly and other repetitive or physically demanding tasks.

The training center provides an important bridge between robotics development and real-world industrial deployment.

Hyundai Provides a Manufacturing and Mobility Platform

Boston Dynamics is owned by Hyundai Motor Group, giving the robotics company access to a large industrial ecosystem.

Hyundai Motor Group’s manufacturing, logistics, and mobility capabilities can provide potential environments for testing and deploying robotic systems.

Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair of Hyundai Motor Group and Chair of Boston Dynamics’ Board of Directors, said the combination of Boston Dynamics’ robotics expertise, Prasad’s AI commercialization experience, and Hyundai’s manufacturing and logistics capabilities creates a strong foundation for scaling Physical AI.

This relationship could become increasingly important as Boston Dynamics moves toward higher-volume robot production and broader industrial applications.

Robotics Moves Closer to AI-Powered Autonomy

The appointment also reflects a broader shift in the robotics industry.

Modern robots increasingly rely on AI to understand their environments, interpret information, and perform tasks with less direct human control.

Foundation models and advances in machine learning can potentially make robots more adaptable than systems designed around narrowly defined instructions.

For Boston Dynamics, the challenge is to combine these AI capabilities with the company’s established expertise in mobility, dexterity, perception, and robotic control.

Prasad’s experience with large-scale AI systems could help the company develop this connection between software intelligence and physical machines.

Focus on Safety, Productivity, and Efficiency

Boston Dynamics says its Physical AI strategy aims to create intelligent robotic systems that improve safety, productivity, and operational efficiency.

Industrial environments can contain tasks that are repetitive, physically demanding, or potentially hazardous for workers. Robots can potentially perform some of these activities while allowing employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities.

However, deploying robots in real-world environments requires reliable operation and the ability to respond to unpredictable situations.

Boston Dynamics is therefore combining AI development with real-world robot training to improve how its systems operate in dynamic environments.

Prasad Takes Over at an Important Stage

Prasad takes the CEO role as Boston Dynamics enters a more commercially focused phase.

The company has already begun preparing Atlas for industrial applications through its work with Hyundai Motor Group. Its Robotics Metaplant Application Center is expected to expand significantly, while Boston Dynamics plans to explore additional industry use cases.

The company said it is already discussing potential Atlas applications with existing Spot and Stretch customers in industries including manufacturing, aerospace, semiconductors, logistics, food and beverage, and life sciences.

This provides Prasad with an established robotics portfolio and an expanding set of real-world applications to develop.

Boston Dynamics Targets the Next Era of Physical AI

Rohit Prasad’s appointment marks a significant leadership change for Boston Dynamics as the company combines its robotics expertise with advances in artificial intelligence.

His experience building Alexa and leading Amazon’s Nova foundation model family gives him a background in turning AI technologies into products used at large scale.

At Boston Dynamics, he will apply that experience to a fundamentally different challenge: developing intelligent machines that can operate safely and productively in the physical world.

With Hyundai Motor Group providing manufacturing and mobility capabilities and Boston Dynamics advancing Atlas and its other robotic platforms, the company is positioning Physical AI as a major part of its next stage of growth.

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