Indian-origin artificial intelligence expert Rohit Prasad, who played a key role in developing Amazon's voice assistant Alexa, has been appointed chief executive officer of Boston Dynamics, the humanoid robot maker owned by Hyundai Motor Group.
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The appointment, effective October 7, comes as the US-based robotics company looks to expand the use of artificial intelligence in robots designed for factories, warehouses and other real-world environments.
Boston Dynamics, known for developing advanced robots capable of human-like movements, is focusing on a field called physical AI, which combines artificial intelligence with machines that can interact with their surroundings.
Who is Rohit Prasad?
According to Bloomberg, Prasad spent 12 years at Amazon, where he helped develop Alexa from its early stages into one of the world's most widely used voice assistants.
He previously served as senior vice-president and head scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence at the technology giant. More recently, he led the development of Amazon Nova, a family of AI foundation models designed for enterprise applications.
{{/usCountry}}He previously served as senior vice-president and head scientist for Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence at the technology giant. More recently, he led the development of Amazon Nova, a family of AI foundation models designed for enterprise applications.
{{/usCountry}}Before joining Amazon, Prasad worked for nearly 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, where he oversaw machine-learning research and its practical applications for US government agencies and commercial organisations.
Who did Rohit Prasad replace?
Prasad succeeds Robert Playter, who stepped down as Boston Dynamics CEO in February 2026 after six years in the position.
Playter was only the second chief executive in the company's more than three-decade history.
His departure was followed by several senior leadership changes, including the exit of chief technology officer Aaron Saunders.
Hyundai's ambitious plans for humanoid robots
Prasad's appointment comes as Hyundai Motor Group accelerates its investments in robotics and industrial automation.
Hyundai acquired majority ownership of Boston Dynamics in 2021 and has since been working to integrate advanced robotic systems into its manufacturing operations.
According to Reuters, Hyundai announced in January that it aims to establish a factory capable of producing 30,000 robots annually by 2028.
The company also plans to begin deploying Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robots at its manufacturing facility in Georgia in 2028, with broader deployment across its production sites planned.
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Under Prasad's leadership, Boston Dynamics will focus on bringing advanced AI capabilities to its robotic systems and expanding their commercial applications across industries.