Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter is stepping down effective immediately, the robotics pioneer announced Tuesday, marking an abrupt end to a six-year tenure that saw the company change hands from SoftBank to Hyundai and launch its next-generation humanoid robot. Playter will officially leave the company on February 27th, according to A3. The departure comes just days after Boston Dynamics posted new footage of its electric Atlas robot performing tumbling passes and outdoor runs, signaling the company's push toward enterprise-ready humanoid systems.
Boston Dynamics just lost the executive who steered it through one of the most transformative periods in its 32-year history. Robert Playter's immediate resignation as CEO, first reported by A3, caught the robotics industry off-guard on Tuesday, especially given the company's recent momentum showcasing its latest humanoid robot capabilities.
Playter took the reins in 2019 after decades with the company, rising from early engineer to chief operating officer before landing the top job. His tenure coincided with massive ownership changes that reshaped Boston Dynamics' strategic direction. The company went from Google parent Alphabet to SoftBank in 2017, then landed with Hyundai Motor Group in a $1.1 billion deal that closed in June 2021, according to company announcements.
Under Playter's watch, Boston Dynamics shifted from viral video darling to serious commercial player. The company's Spot quadruped robot found real traction in industrial inspection, while its Stretch warehouse robot began deployments with logistics giants. But the biggest reveal came in April 2024 when Boston Dynamics unveiled a fully redesigned electric Atlas humanoid, retiring the hydraulic version that had performed those famous parkour routines.
