Louisiana and Persona AI Partner on Humanoid Robotics Pilot for Heavy Industry

• Louisiana and Persona AI have signed an agreement to launch a humanoid robotics pilot at SSE Steel’s active fabrication facility.
• The project will collect real-world movement and task data to inform robot development for complex industrial environments.

Louisiana has signed a memorandum of understanding with Persona AI to launch a humanoid robotics pilot at SSE Steel Fabrication’s facility in St. Bernard Parish. Coordinated by Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO) and backed by Greater New Orleans, Inc., the project is a rare state-led effort to deploy humanoid systems in an active industrial environment.

“This is exactly the kind of applied innovation Louisiana should be leaning into,” said Josh Fleig, Chief Innovation Officer at Louisiana Economic Development, in an official news release. “Partnerships like these will allow our small businesses to adopt new tools, modernize the way they operate and compete at a higher level. As companies innovate, they’re not just growing their bottom line; they’re creating pathways to higher-skill, higher-paying careers that strengthen their workforce and expand opportunity across Louisiana.”

The pilot will collect real-world movement and task data from SSE Steel’s active fabrication facility. The data will inform how humanoid systems perceive, move, and operate alongside skilled tradespeople in dynamic industrial conditions. Robots are expected to take on high-risk or hard-to-staff tasks, while human workers shift into roles such as supervision, quality assurance, and robotic operations.

Persona AI is developing its humanoid platforms to function in rugged environments built for humans, not reconfigured for traditional automation. The pilot is expected to be a foundational step toward broader deployment across Louisiana’s core industries, positioning the state as a national testbed for embodied AI in advanced manufacturing and workforce innovation.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

A formal state partnership to test humanoid robots in a live industrial setting is rare in this space. Louisiana is backing real-world deployment, not just research.

Source: Louisiana Economic Development