Persona AI and HD Hyundai Forge Alliance for Humanoid Welding Robots in Shipyards

Humanoid Robotics Startup Persona AI Partners with HD Hyundai to Weld the Future of Shipbuilding

Houston, TX & Ulsan, South Korea – In a significant move for the nascent field of industrial humanoid robotics, newly-formed Persona AI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Group. The collaboration, which also includes robotics integration firm Vazil Company, aims to develop humanoid robots capable of performing complex welding tasks in shipyards, potentially revolutionizing a critical and labor-intensive aspect of shipbuilding.

A Multi-Party Collaboration for Advanced Automation

The agreement, announced recently and signed during a ceremony in Houston, Texas, outlines a joint program to create and deploy AI-powered humanoid welders. HD Hyundai Group entities involved are HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Robotics.

Under the terms of the MoU:

• Persona AI will spearhead the development of the humanoid hardware, along with the AI-based control and learning algorithms that will enable the robots to perform intricate welding operations.
• HD Hyundai Robotics will contribute its expertise in robotic automated welding, providing AI training data for welding paths and overseeing performance validation.
• HD KSOE will facilitate the deployment and testing of these humanoids in live shipyard environments, offering crucial field engineering data to refine the technology.
• Vazil Company is tasked with developing the specialized welding tools to be mounted on the humanoids and will construct the industrial testing environment. Vazil will also serve as a manufacturing partner for Persona AI in the Korean market.

The partnership is targeting the delivery of prototype humanoids by the end of 2026, with field testing and full commercial deployment slated to begin in 2027.

Addressing Industry Challenges with Intelligent Robotics

Shipbuilding is a demanding industry characterized by large-scale, complex manufacturing processes, often in challenging environments. Welding, in particular, is a skilled trade facing labor shortages and posing safety risks to human workers.

Mr. Dong-ju Lee, Senior Vice President at HD KSOE, stated, "Welding humanoids will not only boost productivity but also significantly reduce the burden on workers and greatly enhance safety. By developing robots optimized for shipyard tasks, we aim to set a new paradigm in shipbuilding automation. Our goal is a smart shipyard where humans and intelligent robots collaborate seamlessly."

Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI, emphasized the urgency of such solutions. "As heavy industry faces growing labor constraints—especially in high-risk trades like welding—the need for rugged, autonomous humanoid robots is more urgent than ever," he noted. "This partnership with HD Hyundai and Vazil is more than symbolic; deploying to the shipyard is one of the largest real-world proving grounds for Persona's tough, humanoid robots."

HD Hyundai Robotics Vice President Mr. Young-hoon Song highlighted the advanced capabilities required: "Unlike conventional robots that focus solely on repetitive tasks, these robots must be able to observe, reason, and make decisions."

Persona AI: A New Contender with Veteran Leadership

Persona AI is a relatively new entrant to the increasingly dynamic humanoid robotics field, having been officially founded in May/June 2024. The Houston-headquartered startup is led by industry veterans Nicolaus Radford, previously founder of Nauticus Robotics, and Jerry Pratt, former CTO of Figure AI and founder of Boardwalk Robotics. Both Radford and Pratt have backgrounds that include robotics work at NASA.

The company has adopted an "anti-stealth" approach, publicly announcing its formation and actively seeking to build its foundational team. While its broader ambitions span various industries, this MoU with HD Hyundai represents a significant early commitment to tackling demanding industrial applications.

The development of humanoid robots that can effectively weld in a shipyard environment is a considerable technical challenge. It requires robust hardware, sophisticated AI for perception and path planning, and the ability to adapt to the non-uniform nature of large-scale assembly. Success in this endeavor could pave the way for wider adoption of humanoids in other heavy industries.

Sungwon Kim, CTO of Vazil Company, commented on the project's potential: "By developing humanoids capable of precision welding, we will elevate shipyard automation to the next level."

This collaboration signals a strong commitment from major industrial players to explore and integrate advanced humanoid robotics, moving beyond controlled environments and into the complexities of real-world industrial operations. The outcomes of this project over the next few years will be closely watched by both the robotics and shipbuilding industries.