Boston Dynamics has appointed former Amazon executive Rohit Prasad as its Chief Executive Officer, with the appointment effective October 7, 2026. Prasad will lead the robotics company as it focuses on combining artificial intelligence with robotics and expanding the commercial use of Physical AI.
Prasad joins Boston Dynamics after serving as Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence at Amazon. During his 12 years at Amazon, he played a key role in building Alexa from its early stages into a large-scale consumer AI service used in hundreds of millions of households worldwide.
More recently, Prasad led the development of Amazon Nova, the company’s family of foundation models, along with its Artificial General Intelligence organisation. Boston Dynamics said his experience in turning AI technologies into products and businesses will support the company’s efforts to commercialise intelligent robotic systems at scale.
Before joining Amazon, Prasad spent nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, where he led machine-learning research and its application for US government and commercial use.
At Boston Dynamics, Prasad will focus on advancing the company’s Physical AI strategy by bringing together its robotics capabilities with advanced AI. The company said this approach is aimed at developing intelligent machines that can improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency across industrial and commercial environments.
“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.
Prasad succeeds Robert Playter, who stepped down as CEO in February. Boston Dynamics is owned by Hyundai Motor Group, which has been expanding its focus on robotics and automation.
The company currently has three robots in its portfolio: Spot, a quadruped robot designed for industrial inspections and other applications; Stretch, a mobile robot used for box handling in logistics and retail; and Atlas, its electric humanoid robot platform that is currently under development.
Boston Dynamics said Prasad’s appointment is intended to accelerate the integration of AI and robotics and expand Physical AI applications across industries. Subject to the relevant approval process, Prasad is also expected to join the company’s Board of Directors.
Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair of Hyundai Motor Group and Chair of the Board of Directors at Boston Dynamics, said, “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.”
Hyundai Motor Group said in January that it aims to build a factory capable of manufacturing 30,000 robot units annually by 2028, when it plans to begin deploying robots across all of its manufacturing sites.
With Prasad taking over as CEO on October 7, Boston Dynamics will look to combine its established robotics expertise with his experience in AI development and commercialisation as it expands its focus on Physical AI and real-world robotic applications.
