Boston Dynamics, Google reunite on next-gen Atlas humanoid - The Robot Report
All units for 2026 are already committed, shipping to the RMAC and Google DeepMind, with additional customers planned for 2027. Hyundai aims to manufacture up to 30,000 humanoids annually by 2028.
Key takeaways
The most recent headlines on humanoid robots come from the CES 2026 week. Hyundai Motor Group, leveraging its Boston Dynamics unit, unveiled a new version of the Atlas humanoid that will be deployed in its Savannah, Georgia “Metaplant” factory beginning in 2028, initially handling repetitive part‑sequencing before moving to full‑assembly tasks by 2030. Boston Dynamics announced a strategic partnership with Google DeepMind to embed DeepMind’s foundation AI models in the next‑generation Atlas, aiming to give the robot more natural interaction and general‑purpose intelligence. Nvidia also used its CES showcase to outline a long‑term roadmap for commercial humanoids, positioning its AI hardware as the backbone for future robot cognition. In the consumer space, 1X Technologies introduced the NEO Gamma, a 5‑ft‑6‑in humanoid with camera‑filled eyes that can fold laundry, answer doors and serve coffee; early orders are priced at $20,000 with deliveries slated for later in 2026. Meanwhile, London‑based Humanoid announced its first bipedal prototype, the HMND 01 Alpha, which can begin walking within 48 hours of assembly after a five‑month development cycle. Finally, Agility Robotics’ Digit humanoid has entered a Latin‑American warehouse, joining Mercado Libre’s facility in Texas as its first commercial deployment of a humanoid in logistics. All of these developments point to a rapid expansion of humanoid robots from industrial factories to homes and retail environments.
All units for 2026 are already committed, shipping to the RMAC and Google DeepMind, with additional customers planned for 2027. Hyundai aims to manufacture up to 30,000 humanoids annually by 2028. It said Atlas will be performing high-precision sequencing at scale in 2028 and complex assembly tasks slated for 2030.
“Our new Atlas is the most production friendly robot we’ve ever designed,” said Jackowski. “This generation of Atlas significantly reduces the amount of unique parts in the robot, and every component has been designed for compatibility with automotive supply chains. With Hyundai Motor Group’s backing, we will achieve the best reliability and economies of scale in the industry.”
“This is the best robot we have ever built,” said Playter.
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Playter noted the rapid proliferation of humanoids in the last 3–5 years, but said the industry’s success will depend on commercial maturity.
“We have a team for integration, service, and repair. Most other companies are doing demos or selling robots as platforms, hoping someone else solves the applications. That’s not how we do it,” he said.
Boston Dynamics said it deployed over 500 robots in 2025, generating around $130 million in revenue across Spot quadrupeds and the Stretch trailer loading system. Playter said the company’s experience scaling quadrupeds provides lessons for humanoids.
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