Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter steps down

Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, has stepped down from the corporate. Playter took over as CEO in 2019 and led the corporate by way of its acquisition by Hyundai in 2020. Previous to taking up as CEO, Playter served as the corporate’s chief working officer. His final day with the corporate can be February 27, 2026. In response to Boston Dynamics, Playter plans to retire.

Amanda McMaster, Boston Dynamic’s chief monetary officer, will take over as interim CEO till the board of administrators finds its subsequent chief. 

Playter took over as CEO at an important time for Boston Dynamics. The corporate was lengthy recognized for its analysis platforms, just like the hydraulically-powered Atlas humanoid, however was now seeking to flip its know-how into business methods. Playter helped to convey Spot, Stetch, and most lately, a completely electrical model of Atlas to market. 

Since Spot, Boston Dynamics’ quadruped robotic, was launched in 2020, the robotic has been deployed in a spread of business settings. In 2022, the decommissioning crew on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant began utilizing Spot to survey the positioning of the catastrophe and plan for the long run. The corporate launched Stretch in 2022 and has since then seen curiosity from prospects like DHL Provide Chain, GAP, H&M, and Efficiency Group – A Maersk Firm.

Boston Dynamics launched the business Atlas simply final yr, and an up to date productized model at CES 2026. All Atlas models for 2026 are already dedicated, transport to the RMAC and Google DeepMind, with further prospects deliberate for 2027. Hyundai goals to fabricate as much as 30,000 humanoids yearly by 2028. 

“Robert Playter is an icon of the worldwide robotics trade, and all the Boston Dynamics staff needs to specific our honest appreciation and gratitude for his management. From the earliest days of hopping robots, to the world’s first quadrupeds, to spearheading all the humanoid trade, Playter made his mark as a pioneer of innovation. He remodeled Boston Dynamics from a small analysis and improvement lab right into a profitable enterprise that now proudly calls itself the worldwide chief in cell robotics. He can be sorely missed, however we hope he enjoys some well-deserved time without work. Thanks, Rob,” Boston Dynamics stated in a press release concerning the departure.

Marc Raibert based Boston Dynamics in 1992. Raibert is now government director of the Robotics and AI Institute, a Hyundai-funded analysis lab that works carefully with Boston Dynamics. He emailed the next to The Robotic Report about Playter’s time at Boston Dynamics:

“For 27 years, Rob and I labored carefully collectively at Boston Dynamics, with Rob constructing the groups and teamwork, and serving to us all to remain sane. When it was time to steer the corporate from a pure analysis operation to extra of a commercially-focused one, Rob was the individual for the job, so I requested if he wished to step up and I stepped down. I like what he and his staff have completed since.”

Playter’s closing phrases for Boston Dynamics workers

Playter introduced his departure in an e mail to Boston Dynamics’ workers. His whole message is beneath. 

Group,

For greater than 30 years, I’ve devoted my life to constructing the world’s greatest robots alongside the world’s greatest staff, and I couldn’t be prouder of the corporate now we have constructed collectively.

At present I’m making the extremely tough determination to step down as CEO of Boston Dynamics. Amanda McMaster will function interim CEO, and our Board of Administrators can be main a search to search out the corporate’s subsequent chief. We’ll host an all-employee assembly later this week to have fun our success and make the transition official. My final day with the corporate can be Feb. 27.

I accepted the place of CEO within the fall of 2019 as the corporate stood at an inflection level. Our problem was clear: transition from an innovation lab to a sustainable, scalable enterprise whereas retaining the distinctive expertise and tradition that made our breakthroughs potential. I’m proud to say that now we have navigated these adjustments effectively, culminating within the outstanding yr we simply skilled. We’ve achieved significant business milestones with Spot and Stretch, re-established Atlas’ management in a quickly rising trade and deepened our strategic partnership with Hyundai and Google DeepMind. Our success hinges on the identical precept that guided this transition: we’re constructing for the long run. The robotics market is at an early stage, and corporations that mix technical excellence, business self-discipline, and affected person capital are greatest positioned to seize what comes subsequent. Boston Dynamics has all three.

The corporate is in a powerful place, poised for the following stage of progress. A brand new CEO will convey the expertise and power required for this subsequent part. Our current management staff is robust, succesful, and united. They know what this enterprise wants to realize as we put together to provide robots at mass scale, and I’ve full confidence that Amanda and the staff will information Boston Dynamics by way of this transition part with out lacking a beat.

Boston Dynamics has been the journey of a lifetime. What this place has develop into has exceeded something I might have ever imagined all these years in the past in our funky lab within the basement of the MIT Media Lab. We’ve got created one thing actually particular right here, exhibiting that greatness comes from expertise, dedication and teamwork reasonably than famous person standing. Lots of you’ve heard me say that whether or not in sports activities or in enterprise, all of my most rewarding experiences have come as a teammate. Main this staff has been the dignity of my life.

It is a breaking story. The Robotic Report can be updating this story quickly.

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