Hyundai debuts new AI humanoid robot for factory work
What's the story
Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics has unveiled its humanoid robot, Atlas, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas. The life-sized automaton impressed the audience with its fluid movements and human-like gestures. Zachary Jackowski, Boston Dynamics General Manager for Humanoid Robots, introduced Atlas on stage and said it will be able to walk independently in real-world scenarios.
Future plans
Atlas to assist in car assembly by 2028
The company revealed that a product version of Atlas, designed to assist in car assembly, is already in production. It will be deployed at Hyundai's electric vehicle manufacturing facility near Savannah, Georgia by 2028. This move marks a major step forward for Boston Dynamics and its parent company Hyundai Motor Group, which acquired the robotics firm from SoftBank in 2021.
Tech partnership
Boston Dynamics robots to use Google's AI technology
Hyundai also announced a new partnership with Google's DeepMind, which will provide its artificial intelligence technology to Boston Dynamics robots. This is a return to a familiar partnership for Google, which had previously owned Boston Dynamics before selling it to SoftBank. The move highlights the growing trend of tech giants collaborating with robotics firms to enhance their products with advanced AI capabilities.
Live reveal
Atlas's public demonstration at CES 2026
The public demonstration of Atlas at CES 2026 was a rare event, as leading robot makers usually avoid showing their humanoids in public. The live demo ended with the humanoid prototype introducing a static model of the new product version of Atlas, which looked slightly different and was blue in color.
Industry outlook
Humanoids and the future of robotics
The commercial AI boom and new technical advances have fueled massive investments in robotics development. However, many experts believe it will be a long time before truly human-like robots become commonplace in workplaces or homes. "I think the question comes back to what are the use cases and where is the applicability of the technology," said Alex Panas, a partner at consultancy McKinsey.