Boston Dynamics announced on Tuesday that Rohit Prasad, previously Amazon’s Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for AI and Alexa, will take the helm as chief executive starting Wednesday. The company, owned by Hyundai, is preparing to accelerate the production of its humanoid robots, including the highly publicized Atlas and Spot models.
Prasad brings a decade of experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning from Amazon, where he led teams that drove the development of Alexa’s conversational abilities. His appointment follows a period of rapid growth for Boston Dynamics, which has recently secured significant contracts with government and industrial partners. Prasad’s expertise is expected to help the company scale its robotics platform and integrate advanced AI capabilities into its hardware.
Under Prasad’s leadership, Boston Dynamics plans to expand its production lines in the United States and overseas. The company has already announced a new factory in Texas that will produce up to 10,000 units of its Spot robot annually. Prasad cited the need for „tight integration of perception, planning, and control” to meet the demands of commercial customers. He emphasized that AI will be central to enabling robots to navigate complex environments autonomously.
The new CEO also outlined a strategy to diversify Boston Dynamics’ product portfolio beyond the flagship Atlas and Spot. The company is developing a family of modular robots that can be reconfigured for tasks such as warehouse logistics, construction site inspection, and disaster response. Prasad noted that the company’s partnership with Hyundai’s automotive division will allow for shared technology in mobility and sensor fusion.
Boston Dynamics faces intense competition from tech giants and startups that are also investing in autonomous robots. Prasad’s background in consumer AI positions him to leverage user‑centric design principles in robotic applications. He plans to open a new research hub in Boston focused on human‑robot interaction, aiming to reduce the learning curve for operators.
„Customers want robots that can be deployed with minimal training,” Prasad said. „By integrating AI that learns from human demonstrations, we can shorten that transition period.” He also highlighted the importance of open‑source software, noting that Boston Dynamics has already released a robotics middleware framework that allows third‑party developers to build custom applications.
The appointment signals Boston Dynamics’ ambition to become a leading supplier of autonomous systems across multiple industries. By combining Hyundai’s manufacturing scale with Amazon’s AI prowess, the company could accelerate the rollout of robots in logistics, manufacturing, and public safety.
Industry analysts predict that Boston Dynamics could capture a significant share of the $20 billion global robotics market by 2030. Prasad’s experience with large‑scale AI deployment will likely help the company navigate regulatory challenges and ensure safety standards are met.