"Isn't That Just a Human?" Atlas Walks the Stage and Waves to the Crowd... International Media Amazed

Spotlight from AP, Euronews, and Other Major Outlets

"Atlas is the most advanced humanoid robot in the world."

International media have continued to praise "Atlas," the humanoid robot unveiled by Hyundai Motor Group at CES 2026, the world's largest consumer electronics and information technology exhibition, held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on January 5 (local time).

On the 5th (local time), one day before the opening of the world's largest consumer electronics and information technology exhibition, CES 2026, a prototype of the next-generation electric Atlas greeted with a hand wave at the Hyundai Motor Group press conference held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the industry on January 18, the Associated Press, one of the world's largest news agencies, reported that Boston Dynamics unveiled Atlas for the first time at CES, stating, "Hyundai Motor Group has accelerated the race to create robots that look like humans and work in place of humans."

The report also noted, "Atlas stood up from the ground on two legs and walked gracefully across the stage for several minutes, occasionally waving to the audience or turning its head like an owl," and evaluated, "Atlas's demonstration was outstanding, without any mistakes or shortcomings."

The Guardian, a daily newspaper based in London, United Kingdom, dedicated significant coverage to Atlas in an article introducing major robots unveiled at CES 2026. The Guardian highlighted Atlas's waterproof capabilities and automatic battery replacement function, stating, "This year will mark the transformation of Atlas, which has undergone extensive testing by Boston Dynamics, into a sophisticated product."

France's Euronews also commented, "With its first public demonstration, Atlas has proven it is no longer just a prototype," and added, "Through Atlas, Hyundai Motor Group aims to reduce the physical workload for humans and alleviate physical burdens, laying the foundation for a human-robot collaborative environment."

Automotive and technology publications around the world also published numerous articles on the topic. The U.S. automotive media outlet Autoweek, in an article titled "Hyundai's Next Mobility Revolution Is Not a Car," introduced, "Hyundai Motor Group has decided to promote collaboration between robots and humans and to integrate Boston Dynamics into Hyundai's global manufacturing ecosystem."

TechRadar, a UK-based technology media outlet, evaluated Atlas as "one of the most advanced humanoid robots in the world," while the U.S. IT media outlet The Verge reported that Atlas is positioned as a competitor to Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus.

Media outlets also focused on Atlas being deployed in manufacturing sites. Turkey's tech magazine Interesting Engineering analyzed, "Hyundai Motor Group is not just showcasing robots, but is actually deploying them in real factory settings," and added, "It has become a venue to discuss how to further expand automation in real factories."

Japan's robotics magazine Robot Start predicted, "The robot ecosystem that Hyundai Motor Group is pursuing will enable mass production and social implementation of AI robots, allowing the company to secure leadership not only in technology but also in business."

Meanwhile, on January 8 (local time), Atlas was awarded the "Best Robot" prize at the "Best of CES 2026" selected by global IT media outlet CNET at the CES venue.