Where Marc Raibert Is Now

Marc Raibert currently serves as the Chairman of Boston Dynamics and as the executive director of the Robotics and AI Institute.

  • Current role: Chairman of Boston Dynamics and executive director of the Robotics and AI Institute
  • Organization: Boston Dynamics and the Robotics and AI Institute
  • Known for: Founding Boston Dynamics, developing the first self-balancing hopping robots, and calling Spot 'the Android of robots'
  • Recent news: Received the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award in 2025 and spoke on humanoid robotics at South Korea's 2025 Future-Tech Forum

Academic Background and Early Career

Marc Raibert earned a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University in 1973 and a PhD from MIT in 1977. His doctoral dissertation was titled 'Motor control and learning by the state space model' and was advised by Berthold Horn and Whitman Richards. Raibert began his robotics career as an MIT graduate student writing software that learned the dynamics of a robot manipulator.

Raibert spent 18 years as an academic researcher and tenured faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and MIT. He founded the Leg Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University in 1980 and later founded the MIT Leg Lab in the 1980s, during which time he developed the first self-balancing hopping robots.

Boston Dynamics and Institute Leadership

Marc Raibert founded Boston Dynamics and served as its CEO from 1992 until 2020, leading the organization for 30 years. He now serves as the Chairman of Boston Dynamics. During his leadership, Raibert repeatedly referred to the Spot robot as 'the Android of robots'.

In 2022, Raibert founded The AI Institute. Raibert also serves as executive director of the Robotics and AI Institute, which bought humanoid and other robots from Unitree Robotics to study. Additionally, Raibert established a pop-up robotics exhibit at the CambridgeSide mall.

Appearances and Honors

In October 2022, Raibert gave a presentation titled 'A Culture of Robotics Research' at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems in Kyoto. On November 16, 2022, he spoke at Bloomberg's New Economy Forum in Singapore regarding robotics and the mission of The AI Institute. He later shared insights on humanoid robotics at South Korea's 2025 Future-Tech Forum.

Raibert is a Founding Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and was inducted into the US National Academy of Engineering in 2008. He was named a Pioneer in Robotics by IEEE in 2022, received the Engelberger Award in Technology in 2022, was included in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in AI in 2023, and is the recipient of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award in 2025.

Perspectives on Robotics

Raibert expressed the view that humanoid robots will be used in factories before entering homes.

He has also stated the view that robots will provide solutions in areas such as elder care, and described robotics as an area for creativity and artists alongside engineers and managers.

Bottom Line

He founded Boston Dynamics and served as its CEO from 1992 until 2020, developed the first self-balancing hopping robots, and spent 18 years as an academic researcher and tenured faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and MIT.

At The Bot Scout, we track the founders and executives who decide what robots get built, shipped and deployed, so readers researching a humanoid or other robot can see who runs the company behind it. See every robotics leader we profile. Read our Boston Dynamics company profile.

FAQs

Who is Marc Raibert?

Marc Raibert is the founder and Chairman of Boston Dynamics and the executive director of the Robotics and AI Institute. He previously served as CEO of Boston Dynamics from 1992 until 2020.

What educational degrees does Marc Raibert hold?

Marc Raibert earned a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University in 1973 and a PhD from MIT in 1977.

What research laboratory did Marc Raibert establish at MIT?

Marc Raibert founded the MIT Leg Lab in the 1980s, after previously founding the Leg Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University in 1980.

What awards has Marc Raibert received from IEEE?

Marc Raibert was named a Pioneer in Robotics by IEEE in 2022 and is the recipient of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award in 2025.

What are Marc Raibert's views on the rollout of humanoid robots?

Marc Raibert expressed the view that humanoid robots will be used in factories before entering homes, and that robots will provide solutions in areas such as elder care.

Primary Sources