Shipyards to get AI-powered humanoid welding robots from HD Hyundai

The robots will be trained using data from shipyards.

HD Hyundai Co. said that its affiliates have partnered with Houston-based Persona AI to develop AI-powered humanoid welding robots for shipyards, Yonhap reported.

The agreement was signed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) Co. and HD Hyundai Robotics Co., in collaboration with Houston-based Persona AI, which specialises in humanoid robotics, the South Korean shipbuilder said.

Under the agreement, HD KSOE will create welding training technologies using shipyard data, HD Hyundai Robotics will handle system integration, and Persona AI will build a bipedal humanoid robot for shipyard conditions.

The partnership follows a memorandum of understanding signed in May last year. HD Hyundai said a prototype developed since then has shown promising technological feasibility.

The companies plan to gradually deploy these robots at operational shipyards to perform complex welding tasks.