The State of Louisiana and Persona AI are launching a pilot program to advance humanoid robotics in active, heavy-industry environments. The pilot will be conducted at SSE Steel Fabrication’s (SSE Steel) large-scale fabrication facility in St. Bernard Parish, La.
Facilitated by Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), a division of Louisiana Economic Development (LED), and supported by Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), the pilot will focus on collecting real-world human movement and task data in an operating steel manufacturing facility. According to a media release, this will inform “how humanoid systems will perceive, move, and work alongside skilled tradespeople in complex, dynamic environments.”
The pilot will use SSE Steel’s advanced fabrication operations to test Persona AI’s upcoming release of rugged humanoid platforms, which are being designed to operate in environments originally built for human workers rather than redesigned for traditional automation.
“Unlike fixed industrial robots, humanoid robots are envisioned to use existing tools, navigate uneven terrain, and adapt to changing conditions, capabilities that make them particularly well-suited for heavy industry sectors facing persistent labor shortages and operational complexity,” the media release states.
“This collaboration allows us to explore emerging technologies where they matter most, on the shop floor, not in a lab,” said Justin Airhart, COO of SSE Steel Fabrication. “SSE Steel has long embraced innovation in service of safety, productivity, and workforce sustainability. Supporting this pilot aligns directly with that mission.”
Persona AI is developing humanoid robots purpose-built for what the company calls “4D jobs”: work they call “dull”, “dirty,” “dangerous,” and “declining.”
According to the media release, the company’s approach centers on “augmenting” human workers, with robots taking on “high-risk or hard-to-staff” tasks while tradespeople move into “higher-value roles” such as supervision, quality assurance, and robotic operations.
“Partnering with the State of Louisiana allows us to accelerate humanoid development in one of the most industrially relevant regions in the country,” said Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI. “Louisiana is actively investing in the innovation required to rebuild domestic shipbuilding and heavy manufacturing capacity. Working alongside LA.IO, GNO, Inc., and industrial leaders like SSE Steel gives our humanoid the conditions it needs to mature and deploy at scale.”
The pilot is focused on data collection and real-world validation ahead of broader deployments. Additional details on the pilot program will be announced as the project progresses.
