SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - POSCO DX is making a strategic investment in a U.S.-based industrial humanoid robot startup as it seeks to accelerate automation and improve safety at heavy industrial sites such as steel mills.
POSCO DX, led by Chief Executive Shim Min-seok, said on Tuesday it will invest $2 million in Persona AI and collaborate with the company on joint robot development. Including a separate $1 million investment from a fund backed by POSCO Technology Investment, the total investment at the group level amounts to $3 million.
The move is part of POSCO DX’s strategy to combine POSCO Group’s artificial intelligence capabilities with advanced robotics to develop so-called “physical AI,” which integrates intelligence directly into machines operating in real-world environments.
Persona AI, founded in June last year, is a U.S. startup focused on humanoid robots for labor-intensive industrial workplaces. The company was co-founded by Chief Executive Nicholas Radford, a former NASA robotics engineer, and Jerry Pratt, who previously served as chief technology officer at humanoid robot maker Figure AI.
POSCO DX said Persona AI’s technology enables precise manipulation across a wide range of tasks, from assembling small components to handling heavy objects. According to the company, the robots are equipped with multi-axis tactile sensors in their hands that process data in real time, allowing simultaneous control of force and position through compliant control, which supports stable operation in industrial environments.
Persona AI also applies artificial intelligence algorithms based on a robot foundation model, enabling autonomous interaction and task execution, POSCO DX said.
POSCO DX said it plans to integrate its industrial AI software with Persona AI’s humanoid robot hardware to develop robots capable of replacing high-risk manual processes at POSCO facilities. The company has previously introduced technologies that allow remote operation of ultra-large equipment, including steel-mill cranes and unloading machines.
A POSCO DX official said humanoid robots tailored to heavy industrial environments could simultaneously improve productivity and workplace safety.
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