Steel Collars Join Blue Collars as Louisiana launches groundbreaking humanoid robot pilot in active fabrication yard
ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. — In a move that blends the future of artificial intelligence with the bedrock of heavy industry, the State of Louisiana has formally partnered with Houston-based Persona AI to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot program deploying humanoid robots in a live steel fabrication facility.
The initiative, announced January 22 and hosted at SSE Steel Fabrication’s St. Bernard Parish yard, marks a significant step beyond laboratory testing. Funded and facilitated through a Memorandum of Understanding with Louisiana Economic Development’s innovation division (LA.IO), the program aims to position the state as a national proving ground for “embodied AI” in advanced manufacturing.
“This is exactly the kind of applied innovation Louisiana should be leaning into,” said Josh Fleig, Chief Innovation Officer at Louisiana Economic Development. “Partnerships like these will allow our small businesses to adopt new tools, modernize the way they operate and compete at a higher level.”
The core of the pilot involves data collection. Persona AI’s humanoid platforms will be observed and trained within the complex, dynamic environment of SSE’s operational facility. The goal is to teach the robots to navigate uneven terrain, use existing tools designed for humans, and safely perceive their surroundings alongside skilled welders, fitters, and crane operators, tasks impossible for traditional, fixed industrial automation.
“This collaboration allows us to explore emerging technologies where they matter most, on the shop floor, not in a lab,” said Justin Airhart, Chief Operations Officer of SSE Steel Fabrication. The company, a woman-owned firm that has appeared repeatedly on the Inc. 5000 list, views the pilot as an extension of its commitment to innovation focused on safety and workforce sustainability.
Persona AI, founded by veterans of space and deep-ocean robotics, is targeting what it calls “4D jobs”: work that is dull, dirty, dangerous, and declining. The company’s philosophy centers on augmentation, not replacement.
“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. “Working alongside…industrial leaders like SSE Steel gives our humanoid the conditions it needs to mature and deploy at scale.”
The pilot taps into a critical challenge facing heavy industry, persistent labor shortages coupled with demanding, sometimes hazardous, working conditions. Proponents argue that introducing humanoid robots for specific high-risk or repetitive tasks can create a pathway for existing tradespeople to transition into higher-value roles as robot supervisors, technicians, and data specialists.
“Real innovation happens when you take what already works and responsibly push it into what’s next,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), which is supporting the project. “This pilot is about modernizing proven processes safely, attracting sustained investment, and building a durable competitive advantage for our industrial workforce.”
While the initial phase is focused on validation and data, state and industry leaders see it as a foundational step. The success of this pilot could pave the way for scaling humanoid robotics across Louisiana’s core industries, including maritime, energy, and defense, and solidify the state’s role in rebuilding domestic manufacturing capacity with a next-generation workforce.
For now, in a Louisiana steel yard, the future of work is being forged, one collaborative step between human and machine at a time.
