American robotics giant Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective October 7, 2026.
Boston Dynamics, recently acquired by South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, is currently developing intelligent robotic systems for industrial, enterprise, and other real-world environments.
Prasad’s hiring comes at a time when the company is seeing physical AI unlocking a new level of autonomy, adaptability, and productivity across a wide range of applications.
Prasad’s appointment accelerates Boston Dynamics’ physical AI strategy by combining world-class robotics with advanced AI capabilities to commercialize intelligent machines at scale.
Prasad brings decades of experience turning breakthrough AI technologies into category-defining products and global businesses.
Prior to joining Boston Dynamics, Prasad served as Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence at Amazon.
During his 12 years at Amazon, he was instrumental in building Alexa from its earliest days into a pioneering large-scale consumer AI service used in hundreds of millions of households worldwide. More recently, he led the development of the Amazon Nova foundation model family used by enterprises.
Before Amazon, Prasad spent nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, leading machine-learning research and its real-world application for US government and commercial use.
“Based in the Boston area for over 25 years, Prasad has deep ties to one of the world’s leading robotics and AI ecosystems through his professional experience, academic affiliations, and longstanding engagement with the region’s technical and business community. These relationships strengthen Boston Dynamics’ ability to attract top talent, deepen technology collaborations, and accelerate innovation,” Boston Dynamics said.
At his new role, Prasad will bring his experience to turning physical AI breakthroughs into commercial success by productizing intelligent robotic systems that improve safety, productivity, and operational efficiency across real-world industrial and commercial environments.
Subject to the relevant approval process, Prasad is also expected to join the company’s Board of Directors.
“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,” Prasad said.
“Boston Dynamics’ industry-leading robotics, Rohit’s proven ability to turn AI into products at a 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,” remarked Jaehoon Chang, vice chair, Hyundai Motor Group, and chair of the board of directors at Boston Dynamics.
While focusing on building and scaling physical AI, Boston Dynamics has decided to abandon its IPO plans, given the fact that the company is yet to deploy its flagship Atlas robots at scale and remains unprofitable.
“It won’t be easy,” an unnamed senior executive told Reuters last month when asked whether an IPO was possible in 2027.
“We need to see conditions and situations,” he added, without elaborating.
Hyundai Motor Group also doesn’t look too enthusiastic about the IPO, as it has not publicly disclosed a timetable or valuation target for a potential Boston Dynamics listing.
Since the unveiling of the updated Atlas robot in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, investors and analysts have been discussing whether Hyundai would pursue a US IPO for Boston Dynamics to help finance its growth.
Hyundai bought a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics in 2021, and in July, it announced plans to make the company a wholly owned subsidiary by acquiring SoftBank’s roughly 10% stake at an undisclosed valuation.
Hyundai Motor shares more than doubled earlier this year after it unveiled the production version of its Atlas robot in January. However, those gains quickly eroded amid a lack of updates on the company’s robotics strategy.
While Hyundai’s shares have been up 25% so far this year, they still lag behind a 60% surge in the broader market.
Hyundai is currently seeking to build a factory capable of producing 30,000 robots a year by 2028.
It also plans to begin deploying humanoid robots at its Georgia plant around 2028 before spreading them across its manufacturing network.
Image Courtesy: Boston Dynamics