HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and HD Hyundai Robotics have signed a four‑way MOU with U.S.‑based Persona AI and Korean integrator Vazil to develop humanoid robots purpose‑built for shipyard welding. Announced in Houston on 7 May 2025, the program targets a prototype by late 2026 and full field deployment in 2027—marking Korea’s first coordinated push toward robotic welders on the block‑assembly line.
Responsibilities are split to keep development lean: Persona AI delivers the humanoid chassis plus AI motion‑control algorithms; Vazil supplies precision welding tools and an industrial test rig; HD KSOE feeds real‑world shipyard data and validates performance on live hulls; HD Hyundai Robotics contributes welding‑path datasets and certifies the finished system. The goal is a machine that can handle multi‑pass joints, adapt to complex geometries, and work safely alongside crews.
If successful, the project could ease skilled‑labor shortages, cut fatigue‑related defects, and move welders toward programming, inspection, and high‑skill repair work rather than repetitive burns.
Source:
Persona AI Inc
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