Boston Dynamics Taps Amazon Executive as CEO to Scale Robotics with AI

Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad, a former Amazon executive, as its new CEO. Prasad, who previously served as Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence at Amazon, will lead Boston Dynamics in its push to scale up its autonomous robotics portfolio using advanced AI. His experience in developing complex machine learning technologies and overseeing the Alexa ecosystem is expected to be crucial as the company moves its humanoid platforms from experimental phases to large-scale industrial commercialization.

The move highlights a strategic shift toward physical AI, which combines generative model architectures with mechanical systems to operate in real-world settings. Hyundai Motor Group, Boston Dynamics' parent company, plans to integrate the electric Atlas humanoid into its Georgia manufacturing facilities by 2028, with ambitions to produce up to 30,000 humanoids annually.

Prasad’s expertise in enterprise deployment and consumer-scale software is seen as a key asset for accelerating the commercialization of Boston Dynamics' hardware lineup, which includes the Spot quadruped for industrial inspection and the Stretch platform for logistics operations. The company aims to build high-margin software revenue streams on top of its proprietary robotic hardware.

Subject to board approval, Prasad will officially start his new role on October 7 and is expected to join the company's board of directors soon after. The leadership change reflects a broader industry trend where hardware development is increasingly focused on AI-driven autonomy.