Hyundai and Boston Dynamics unveil humanoid robot Atlas at CES

Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics publicly demonstrated its humanoid robot Atlas for the first time Monday at the CES tech showcase, ratcheting up a competition with Tesla and other rivals to build robots that look like people and do things that people do.

“For the first time ever in public, please welcome Atlas to the stage,” said Boston Dynamics' Zachary Jackowski as a life-sized robot with two arms and two legs picked itself up from the floor at a Las Vegas hotel ballroom.

It then fluidly walked around the stage for several minutes, sometimes waving to the crowd and swiveling its head like an owl. An engineer remotely piloted the robot from nearby for the purpose of the demonstration, though in real life Atlas will move around on its own, said Jackowski, the company’s general manager for humanoid robots.

The company said a product version of the robot that will help assemble cars is already in production and will be deployed by 2028 at Hyundai's electric vehicle manufacturing facility near Savannah, Georgia.

The South Korean carmaker holds a controlling stake in Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics, which has been developing robots for decades and is best known for its first commercial product: the dog-like robot called Spot. A group of four-legged Spot robots opened Hyundai's event Monday by dancing in synchrony to a K-pop song.

Hyundai also announced a new partnership with Google's DeepMind, which will supply its artificial intelligence technology to Boston Dynamics robots. It's a return to a familiar partnership for Google, which bought Boston Dynamics in 2013 before selling it to Japanese tech giant SoftBank several years later. Hyundai acquired it from SoftBank in 2021.

It's rare for leading robot makers to publicly demonstrate their humanoids, in part because fumbles attract unwanted attention — such as when one of Russia's first humanoids fell on its face in November. Robotics startups typically prefer to show off their research prototypes in videos on social media, offering them the opportunity to show the machines at their best and edit out their failings.

At the end of Monday's live Atlas demonstration, which appeared flawless, the humanoid prototype swung its arms in a theatrical gesture to introduce a static model of the new product version of Atlas, which looked slightly different and was blue in color.

Crossover excitement from the commercial AI boom and new technical advances have helped pour huge amounts of money into robotics development, though many experts still think it's a long time before truly human-like robots that can perform many different tasks take root 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 who helped lead a CES robotics panel that attracted hundreds of people earlier in the day. “In some cases, it may look more humanoid. In some cases, it may not."

Either way, Panas said, “the software, the chipsets, the communication, all the other pieces of the technology are coming together, and they will create new applications.”

Humanoids don’t yet have enough dexterity to threaten many human jobs, though a debate over their effects on employment is likely to grow as they become more skilled. The same Georgia plant where Hyundai plans to test out Atlas was the site of a federal immigration raid last year that led to the arrests of hundreds of workers, including more than 300 South Korean citizens.

An Atlas robot stands on the stage during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Humanoid application product lead at Boston Dynamics, Aya Durbin, left, and vice president and general manager of Atlas at Boston Dynamics, Zachary Jackowski, talk during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

An Atlas robot stands on the stage during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

An Atlas robot stands on the stage during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Humanoid application product lead at Boston Dynamics Aya Durbin and vice president and general manager of Atlas at Boston Dynamics Zachary Jackowski talk during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Vice president and general manager of Atlas at Boston Dynamics, Zachary Jackowski, talks during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 2, 2026--

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) today unveiled limited-edition America250 Coca-Cola cans at its Jacksonville manufacturing facility—one of the select locations in the country producing commemorative packaging representing all 50 states ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260402409814/en/

“Coca-Cola has been a unique and deeply rooted part of Americana for nearly 140 years,” said Troy Taylor, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Coke Florida. “As we celebrate this milestone, we’re proud to join our fellow bottling partners and The Coca-Cola Company in bringing these commemorative cans to life. This effort reflects our shared commitment to celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary while continuing to create meaningful connections with the communities we serve across Florida and beyond.”

Federal, state and local officials joined community leaders and Coke Florida associates for the unveiling event, which offered a first look at the commemorative cans as they moved through production lines—connecting Florida manufacturing directly to a once-in-a-generation national celebration.

Beginning April 6, the America250-themed Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar mini cans will be available at retailers across Florida. Consumers will find patriotic branding on various Coca-Cola packages and other brands distributed by Coke Florida, such as smartwater and Gold Peak. Specially wrapped Coke Florida delivery trucks will also travel throughout the state, extending the visibility of the campaign into local communities.

Following the unveiling, guests toured the Jacksonville facility, gaining behind-the-scenes access to the scale and precision of Coke Florida’s operations, from production and packaging to warehousing and distribution, underscoring the company’s role in delivering a beverage for every occasion across the state.

As a Signature Partner of America250, The Coca-Cola Company is helping bring people together to mark this historic milestone—continuing a legacy that dates back to 1886 of being part of moments that unite communities across generations. In addition to the production of commemorative packaging, Coke Florida will further support America250 through planned community engagement initiatives and local activations to be rolled out throughout 2026.

For more information about the unveiling event or inquiries related to Coke Florida’s America250 celebration activities, visit cokeflorida.com/america250.

About Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is a strategic bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company and a growth-focused consumer packaged goods company. We are one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the United States with an exclusive territory that covers forty-seven counties in Florida. Coke Florida makes, sells, and distributes a portfolio of beverages for every occasion including sparkling soft drinks, waters, teas, sports drinks, energy drinks, juices, and value-added dairy drinks. We drive positive economic impact in the communities we serve through employing over 5,000 associates and operating four GreenCircle Certified production facilities and eighteen distribution centers. Our investments in sustainability, education, and economic empowerment are the foundation of our commitment to helping build stronger communities. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Tampa, Coke Florida is also one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States. The company has been recognized as a US Best Managed Company Gold Standard Winner by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. To learn more, visit www.cokeflorida.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Limited-edition America250 Coca-Cola mini cans produced by Coca-Cola Beverages Florida will be available starting April 6th across Florida.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida celebrates the launch of America250 Commemorative Coca-Cola cans in Florida.