CEO of company that Google partnered with for their humanoid robots resigns, sends memo to staff saying ‘What this place has become has …’

Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter has resigned after more than 30 years with the robotics company, reports Business Insider. Playter has sent an internal memo informing the employees that he will step down from his role later this month.

In the memo, CEO Rob Playter said that his last working day will be February 27. Notably, the announcement comes a month after Boston Dynamics partnered with Google DeepMind to integrate Google’s Gemini AI models into the robots of Boston Dynamics, inlacing the humanoid Atlas platform. Playter announced that Amanda McMaster will take over as interim CEO, while the board begins the search for a permanent successor. Playter said the company is entering a new phase focused on scaling production and long-term growth, following recent commercial progress and partnerships.

Memo that Boston Dynamics CEO sent to staff announcing his resignation

Team,For more than 30 years, I have dedicated my life to building the world's best robots alongside the world's best team, and I could not be prouder of the company we have built together.Today I'm making the incredibly difficult decision to step down as CEO of Boston Dynamics. Amanda McMaster will serve as interim CEO, and our Board of Directors will be leading a search to find the company's next leader. We will host an all-employee meeting later this week to celebrate our success and make the transition official. My last day with the company will be Feb. 27.I accepted the position of CEO in the fall of 2019 as the company stood at an inflection point. Our challenge was clear: transition from an innovation lab to a sustainable, scalable business while retaining the exceptional talent and culture that made our breakthroughs possible. I'm proud to say that we have navigated these changes well, culminating in the remarkable year we just experienced. We've achieved meaningful commercial milestones with Spot and Stretch, re-established Atlas' leadership in a rapidly emerging industry and deepened our strategic partnership with Hyundai and Google DeepMind. Our success hinges on the same principle that guided this transition: we are building for the long term. The robotics market is at an early stage, and companies that combine technical excellence, commercial discipline, and patient capital are best positioned to capture what comes next. Boston Dynamics has all three.The company is in a strong position, poised for the next stage of growth. A new CEO will bring the experience and energy required for this next phase. Our existing leadership team is strong, capable, and united. They know what this business needs to achieve as we prepare to produce robots at mass scale, and I have full confidence that Amanda and the team will guide Boston Dynamics through this transition phase without missing a beat.Boston Dynamics has been the ride of a lifetime. What this place has become has exceeded anything I could have ever imagined all those years ago in our funky lab in the basement of the MIT Media Lab. We have created something truly special here, showing that greatness comes from talent, commitment and teamwork rather than superstar status. Many of you have heard me say that whether in sports or in business, all of my most rewarding experiences have come as a teammate. Leading this team has been the honor of my life.Thank you,Rob