Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad, the former Amazon executive who built the Alexa voice assistant and led the company’s artificial general intelligence division, as its new chief executive — effective October 7, 2026.
From Alexa to Humanoid Robots
Prasad served as Amazon’s senior vice president and head scientist for artificial general intelligence until leaving the company at the end of 2025. During his 12 years at Amazon, he was instrumental in building Alexa from its earliest days into a large-scale consumer AI service used in hundreds of millions of households worldwide, and he later led the development of the Amazon Nova family of foundation models for enterprises.
Before Amazon, Prasad spent nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, leading machine-learning research and its real-world application for U.S. government and commercial clients. Based in the Boston area for over 25 years, he brings deep ties to one of the world’s leading robotics and AI ecosystems.
A Seven-Month Leadership Gap Ends
Prasad fills a role left vacant for roughly seven months, since Robert Playter stepped down as Boston Dynamics CEO in February 2026 after more than three decades at the company. Chief financial officer Amanda McMaster ran the business on an interim basis during the gap.
Prasad is only the third CEO in the company’s history: founder Marc Raibert led it from its 1992 founding until 2020, followed by Playter. Boston Dynamics has passed through three owners since its founding — Google X between 2013 and 2017, SoftBank from 2017 to 2020, and Hyundai Motor Group since 2020, which still holds a controlling stake.
Why an AI Chief for a Robotics Company
The appointment signals where Hyundai wants to take the robotics maker. Boston Dynamics says Prasad’s appointment accelerates its “physical AI” strategy — combining world-class robotics with advanced AI capabilities to commercialize intelligent machines at scale.
“Boston Dynamics is uniquely positioned to advance physical AI through its world-class robotics expertise,” Prasad said in the company’s announcement. He plans to productize intelligent robotic systems that improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency across real-world industrial and commercial environments.
Hyundai has said it wants a factory capable of producing 30,000 robot units a year by 2028, and plans to start deploying Atlas humanoid robots across its manufacturing sites that same year. The company says it will test advanced AI and robotics technologies across Hyundai Motor Group’s industrial base, including manufacturing, logistics and mobility.
FAKTA
- Appointment: Rohit Prasad named CEO of Boston Dynamics, effective October 7, 2026.
- Background: Former Amazon SVP and head scientist for Alexa and artificial general intelligence; 12 years at Amazon; nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies.
- Predecessors: Interim CEO Amanda McMaster (CFO); Robert Playter stepped down in February 2026 after 30+ years.
- Owner: Hyundai Motor Group holds a controlling stake (previously Google X, then SoftBank).
- Strategy: “Physical AI” — combining robotics and advanced AI to commercialize intelligent machines at scale; 30,000 robot units a year by 2028.
Conclusion
Installing an AI specialist rather than a career roboticist at the top of Boston Dynamics is a clear statement of intent: Hyundai believes the next leap in robotics will come from artificial intelligence, not just hardware. Whether Prasad can translate his experience building Alexa and foundation models into factory-scale humanoid robots will define his tenure — and possibly the future of the humanoid robotics industry. For more on leadership changes in global business, see how ICICI Prudential Life named Siddhartha Mishra as its new MD and CEO.
