Boston Dynamics taps Amazon AI veteran to lead physical AI push

Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad, a prominent AI expert who played a key role in developing Alexa and leading Amazon's foundation-model initiatives, as its new chief executive officer. This move aims to integrate AI with advanced robotics, and Prasad will lead the company's efforts to commercialize intelligent robots and expand the use of physical AI across various industries.

Prior to joining Boston Dynamics, Prasad spent 12 years at Amazon, where he held the position of senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa and artificial general intelligence. He had been with Amazon since 2013, working on Alexa's early development and subsequently leading the creation of Amazon Nova, a series of foundation models designed for generative AI applications.

Before Amazon, Prasad had spent around 14 years at Raytheon BBN Technologies, focusing on machine-learning research and applications for both government and commercial clients. The company believes Prasad's expertise in transforming AI research into tangible products, platforms, and business models will accelerate the commercialization of intelligent robotic systems.