[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] “Korean companies are already seriously considering how to deploy humanoids in actual work settings. We see significant opportunities in heavy industries such as shipbuilding and steel.”

Michael Perry, Head of Commercial Strategy at U.S.-based humanoid company PersonaAI, recently cited South Korea as a key market in a written interview with E-Daily. He believes there is a need for humanoids in shipyards and steel mills, where there is a shortage of skilled workers and many tasks are arduous or dangerous.

PersonaAI is a company founded in 2024 and based in Houston, Texas. It develops industrial humanoids for deployment in heavy industry sites. Perry gained experience in robot commercialization at Boston Dynamics and led DJI’s North American operations.

In South Korea, the company is developing humanoids for shipyards and welding applications ( HD HYUNDAI(267250)). Following a memorandum of understanding signed in May of last year, the company signed a joint development agreement with HD KOREA SHIPBUILDING & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING and HD HYUNDAI Robotics in March of this year to advance demonstration and commercialization. Perry explained that the company plans to develop a prototype this year and proceed with on-site demonstrations next year.

The immediate challenge is ensuring the precision, maneuverability, and safety required for shipyard welding. The team is focusing on verifying whether the robot can reliably perform skilled tasks in spaces designed for humans.

Perry stated, “The ultimate measure of success depends on whether the robot can consistently, safely, and economically perform useful tasks in an actual shipyard.”

In the steel sector, the company signed an agreement with the POSCO Group in February of this year and is pursuing a proof-of-concept for coil logistics. This involves workers and humanoid robots collaborating to perform the crane belt fastening tasks required when unloading coils. POSCO DX(022100)is responsible for building the automation system.

These two collaboration cases exemplify PersonaAI’s market approach: identifying tasks where the benefits of introducing robots are clear in work environments that rely heavily on skilled labor and involve high workloads and risks. Another condition is that the robots must be capable of being integrated into existing facilities and work processes.

Perry, the general manager, explained, “We are working with companies that have deep on-site knowledge to identify tasks that are challenging but offer significant value for automation,” adding, “We plan to start by implementing solutions where it makes economic sense and where humanoids are truly needed.”

The robot’s range of applications expands when it can handle various tasks across multiple locations. PersonaAI aims to develop humanoids that can use the tools already in use on-site and work in accordance with existing workflows. This is why the company uses customer implementation requirements as the benchmark for its technology development.

Perry stated, “From the very beginning, we have been building the company around the conditions required for actual customer adoption in the field,” adding, “Commercialization is driving our technology development roadmap.”

Scaling up from a pilot project at a single facility to deployment across multiple sites requires extensive preparation. Performance must be refined by collecting data during actual operation and incorporating customer feedback. It is also essential that robots move in predictable ways and that on-site personnel can manage them effectively.

Perry emphasized, “We must first prove that robots can reliably perform useful tasks in actual industrial settings,” adding, “Safety must be incorporated into the technology development process from the very beginning.”

To operate robots over the long term, local partners are needed to support process integration, maintenance, technical support, and a stable supply chain. The economic viability of adoption is also crucial. He assessed that South Korea possesses the industrial infrastructure and expertise to support these efforts.

Perry predicted, “South Korea’s manufacturing capabilities, talent, industrial supply chains, and experience with robot adoption can support the development of industrial humanoids,” adding, “If the technology is proven in demanding industries such as shipbuilding and steel, it will lay the foundation for expansion into a wider range of fields.”