A major shipbuilder is partnering with a company in embodied artificial intelligence to deploy humanoid welding robots for shipbuilding automation. The agreement initiates a joint program to create humanoid robots capable of performing complex welding tasks in shipyard environments.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Robotics have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Persona AI, a company in embodied artificial intelligence, and robotics integration and manufacturing firm Vazil Company.
The initiative will deliver prototype humanoids by the end of 2026, with field testing and full commercial deployment scheduled to begin in 2027.
Persona AI said the four parties will collaborate to develop humanoids equipped with advanced AI and robotic systems capable of high-precision welding.
Persona AI will lead the development of humanoid hardware and AI-based control and learning algorithms.
Vazil Company will develop the welding tools and build the industrial testing environment.
HD KSOE will support deployment in live shipyard settings and provide field engineering data.
HD Hyundai Robotics will contribute welding-path AI training data and performance validation.
Nicolaus Radford, Persona AI CEO, said: “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. 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.”
Persona AI, whose founder Nic Radford was interviewed by ‘Fox & Friends’ to explain how his company plans to help restore American dominance in shipbuilding through artificial intelligence solutions, cited reports indicating that 50–60% of first-year shipyard employees leave within their first year.
