Amanda McMaster, Interim CEO at Boston Dynamics
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Technology
Not Publicly Disclosed/mo
Not Publicly Disclosed ARR

Amanda McMasterInterim CEO

In this interview, Boston Dynamics interim CEO Amanda McMaster explains the commercial transition of the pioneer robotics firm from research laboratory to industrial deployer. McMaster shares deployment statistics for the Spot quadruped, details the robot-as-a-service model planned for the bipedal Atlas, and outlines the dual-brain computing architecture separating locomotion from reasoning. She discusses cybersecurity concerns regarding Chinese-made hardware in critical infrastructure and defends domestic robotic IP protection.

Amanda McMaster

Amanda McMaster

Interim CEO

Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics

Founder Stats

  • Technology
  • Started 1992
  • Not Publicly Disclosed/mo
  • 1500+ team
  • Waltham, Massachusetts, United States

About Amanda McMaster

Amanda McMaster is the interim CEO of Boston Dynamics, the pioneer of modern legged and humanoid robotics. Having previously served as the company's Chief Financial Officer, McMaster stepped into the interim chief executive role in early 2026 to guide the commercial scaling of the Spot and Atlas platforms. She has been a leading advocate for national robotics strategies, secure domestic manufacturing, and cybersecurity in critical physical infrastructure.

Interview

July 30, 2026

Q

Is Boston Dynamics still primarily a research laboratory?

Question 1 of 12
Amanda McMaster

No, we are focused on real-world deployment. Spot is deployed in over forty-six countries with hundreds of customers.

0
Q

What is the number one use case for Spot?

Question 2 of 12
Amanda McMaster

Spot is used for industrial inspections, including acoustic sensing, gauge reading, vibration detection, and perimeter security.

0
Q

What is the business model and price range for Spot?

Question 3 of 12
Amanda McMaster

We use a CAPEX model for Spot, ranging from one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand dollars fully loaded.

0
Q

Will the new Atlas humanoid follow the same CAPEX business model?

Question 4 of 12
Amanda McMaster

We will likely offer Atlas under a Robot as a Service model to let customers scale deployments up and down.

0
Q

How long can these robots run between service interventions?

Question 5 of 12
Amanda McMaster

Spot has a mean time between intervention of over three thousand hours, requiring human help only twice a year.

0
Q

How does the battery recharging work for Spot and Atlas?

Question 6 of 12
Amanda McMaster

Spot sits on a charging dock. Atlas swaps its own batteries automatically to achieve near-continuous field operation.

0
Q

How does Boston Dynamics view the topic of labor replacement?

Question 7 of 12
Amanda McMaster

We focus on saving customers money and augmenting labor rather than simple replacement. We do dangerous and dull tasks.

0
Q

How does Boston Dynamics partition onboard and cloud compute?

Question 8 of 12
Amanda McMaster

We use a dual-brain architecture. Locomotion runs locally on the robot, while semantic reasoning runs in the cloud.

0
Q

What percentage of Boston Dynamics' robots is sourced from China?

Question 9 of 12
Amanda McMaster

We source zero percent of our parts from China, ensuring full sovereignty for our American and European customers.

0
Q

Should the United States ban Chinese-made humanoid robots?

Question 10 of 12
Amanda McMaster

No Chinese humanoids should be allowed. Quadruped robots are leaking sensitive critical infrastructure data back to China.

0
Q

What is Boston Dynamics' stance on military applications?

Question 11 of 12
Amanda McMaster

We have a strict anti-weaponization stance. We focus only on B2B industrial markets.

0
Q

Are you open to military search and rescue or bomb disposal?

Question 12 of 12
Amanda McMaster

Yes, explosive ordinance disposal is a great use case. We support non-weaponized work that protects human lives.

0

Video Interviews with Amanda McMaster

The $1/Hour Robot Is Coming: Four Industry Leaders Explain What’s Next

The $1/Hour Robot Is Coming: Four Industry Leaders Explain What’s Next

The $1/Hour Robot Is Coming: Four Industry Leaders Explain What’s Next

Amanda McMaster on Physical AI

Amanda McMaster on Physical AI

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