Boston Dynamics names Rohit Prasad CEO to advance Physical AI

Boston Dynamics says Prasad’s appointment will accelerate its Physical AI strategy and help the company commercialize intelligent machines at scale.[1] BusinessKorea describes Physical AI as technology that enables robots to perceive situations, make decisions and act autonomously in the real world.[2] The company says it is developing intelligent robotic systems for industrial, enterprise and other real-world environments.[1] It is also productizing systems intended to improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency across industrial and commercial settings.[1] Those aims make the CEO appointment relevant to customers assessing how robotics could fit into real-world operations.

Before joining Boston Dynamics, Prasad was Amazon’s senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa and artificial general intelligence.[1] He spent 12 years at Amazon, and Boston Dynamics says he helped build Alexa into a consumer AI service used in hundreds of millions of households worldwide.[1] Prasad also led development of Amazon Nova, a family of foundation models used by enterprises.[1] Earlier, he spent nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, where he led machine-learning research and real-world applications for government and commercial use.[1] His career spans consumer AI, enterprise models and applied research.

Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chair and Boston Dynamics board chair Jaehoon Chang said the company’s robotics, Prasad’s AI commercialization experience and Hyundai’s manufacturing, logistics and mobility capabilities provide a foundation for scaling Physical AI.[1] BusinessKorea reported that Boston Dynamics plans to use Hyundai Motor Group sites in those areas as testbeds for its AI and robotics technologies.[2] Hyundai has said it plans to begin deploying Atlas at its Georgia plant in 2028 and build capacity to produce as many as 30,000 humanoid robots annually.[3] These plans offer operational context, but do not establish when a particular system will be available to other customers.

Prasad is expected to join Boston Dynamics’ board of directors, subject to the relevant approval process.[1] Boston Dynamics says he has been based in the Boston area for more than 25 years and that his relationships can help the company attract talent, deepen technology collaborations and accelerate innovation.[1] Robert Playter stepped down as CEO earlier in 2026 after six years in the role.[4] The Hindustan BusinessLine, citing Bloomberg, also reported that chief technology officer Aaron Saunders was among several senior executives who had left the company.[4] The appointment therefore comes amid leadership changes as the company pursues its stated strategy.