The former Amazon AI executive will focus on turning robotics research into useful industrial and commercial systems.
Boston Dynamics has named Rohit Prasad as its new chief executive, effective October 7, according to The Robot Report, citing the company. He succeeds interim CEO Amanda McMaster, who took over after Robert Playter left in February.
The strategic shift is toward “physical AI”: software that must understand the world and control machines safely, not just answer questions or generate text. Boston Dynamics said Prasad will combine its robotics expertise with advanced AI to commercialize intelligent machines at scale.
Prasad previously led Alexa and artificial intelligence work at Amazon, including development of the Amazon Nova foundation-model family used by enterprises, The Robot Report reported. He said he plans to productize robots that improve safety, productivity, and operating efficiency in industrial and commercial settings.
That means translating AI capability into reliable behavior around people, equipment, changing surfaces, and unexpected obstacles. A model that performs well in software still needs careful training, testing, and control systems before a robot can work without close supervision.
The appointment is a strategy announcement, not a new robot launch or proof of scaled deployment. The company has recently described work around its Atlas humanoid, Spot inspection robot, and a Hyundai facility intended to train Atlas for automotive manufacturing, but the announcement does not specify which products or commercial milestones Prasad will prioritize.
For operators and investors, the next useful signal will be concrete evidence: named customer deployments, safety results, operating time, and repeatable tasks completed outside controlled demonstrations.