Robert Playter joined Boston Dynamics in 1994. | Supply: Boston Dynamics
Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, has stepped down from the corporate. Playter took over as CEO in 2019 and led the corporate via 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 shall be February 27, 2026. In line with 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 a vital time for Boston Dynamics. The corporate was lengthy identified for its analysis platforms, just like the hydraulically-powered Atlas humanoid, however was now seeking to flip its expertise into business programs. Playter helped to convey Spot, Stetch, and most not too long ago, 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 commercial settings. In 2022, the decommissioning crew on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant began utilizing Spot to survey the location of the catastrophe and plan for the long run. The corporate launched Stretch in 2022 and has since then seen curiosity from clients like DHL Provide Chain, GAP, H&M, and Efficiency Workforce – A Maersk Firm.
Boston Dynamics launched the business Atlas simply final 12 months, and an up to date productized model at CES 2026. All Atlas models for 2026 are already dedicated, delivery to the RMAC and Google DeepMind, with extra clients 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 the complete Boston Dynamics crew 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 the complete humanoid trade, Playter made his mark as a pioneer of innovation. He remodeled Boston Dynamics from a small analysis and growth lab right into a profitable enterprise that now proudly calls itself the worldwide chief in cell robotics. He shall be sorely missed, however we hope he enjoys some well-deserved break day. Thanks, Rob,” Boston Dynamics mentioned in an announcement in regards to the departure.
Playter’s closing phrases for Boston Dynamics employees
Playter introduced his departure in an electronic mail to Boston Dynamics’ employees. His whole message is under.
Workforce,
For greater than 30 years, I’ve devoted my life to constructing the world’s greatest robots alongside the world’s greatest crew, and I couldn’t be prouder of the corporate we have now constructed collectively.
Right now I’m making the extremely troublesome resolution to step down as CEO of Boston Dynamics. Amanda McMaster will function interim CEO, and our Board of Administrators shall be main a search to search out the corporate’s subsequent chief. We are going to host an all-employee assembly later this week to rejoice our success and make the transition official. My final day with the corporate shall 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 we have now navigated these modifications properly, culminating within the exceptional 12 months 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 robust place, poised for the subsequent stage of development. A brand new CEO will convey the expertise and vitality required for this subsequent section. Our current management crew is robust, succesful, and united. They know what this enterprise wants to realize as we put together to supply robots at mass scale, and I’ve full confidence that Amanda and the crew will information Boston Dynamics via this transition section with out lacking a beat.
Boston Dynamics has been the experience 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 created one thing actually particular right here, exhibiting that greatness comes from expertise, dedication and teamwork quite than celebrity standing. A lot of you may have 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 crew has been the consideration of my life.
This can be a breaking story. The Robotic Report shall be updating this story quickly.
