Humanoid Robotics Pilot Positions St. Bernard Parish as a Testbed for Advanced Manufacturing
Public-private partnership positions St. Bernard Parish as a national testbed for embodied AI in advanced manufacturing.
From left to right: Josh Fleig, Louisiana Economic Development’s chief innovation officer; Mindy Nunez Airhart, chief executive officer at SSE Steel, Justin Airhart, chief operating officer at SSE Steel; Nic Radford, Founder of Persona Ai; Madeline Trudeau Kawanaka, Louisiana Economic Development’s Director of Programs; Grady Fitzpatrick, chief business development officer at GNO Inc.; Louis Pomes, St. Bernard Parish President
ST. BERNARD PARISH, LA – St. Bernard Parish has been selected as the site of a new humanoid robotics pilot launched through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State of Louisiana and Persona AI, headquartered in Houston, Texas. The pilot will be conducted at SSE Steel Fabrication’s large-scale facility in St. Bernard Parish, positioning the Parish as a real-world test environment for embodied artificial intelligence in active heavy-industry settings.
Facilitated by Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), a division of Louisiana Economic Development (LED), and supported by Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), the initiative focuses on collecting real-world human movement and task data inside an operating steel manufacturing facility. This data will inform how humanoid systems perceive, move, and work alongside skilled tradespeople in complex, dynamic environments.
Why St. Bernard Parish
The selection of SSE Steel Fabrication’s St. Bernard Parish facility reflects the Parish’s depth in advanced manufacturing and its ability to support innovation in live industrial conditions. The facility’s scale, workforce expertise, and operational complexity provide the type of real-world environment required to validate next-generation technologies intended for heavy industry.
“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. 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.”
From Fixed Automation to Humanoid Systems
SSE Steel Fabrication’s advanced fabrication operations will serve as the industrial proving ground for Persona AI’s upcoming release of rugged humanoid platforms. These systems are being designed to operate in environments originally built for humans rather than redesigned for traditional automation.
Unlike fixed industrial robots, humanoid systems are envisioned to use existing tools, navigate uneven terrain, and adapt to changing conditions. These capabilities are particularly relevant for heavy-industry sectors facing persistent labor shortages and operational complexity.
“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. “SSE Steel has long embraced innovation in service of safety, productivity, and workforce sustainability. Supporting this pilot aligns directly with that mission.”
The pilot’s approach centers on augmenting human workers, with robots supporting high-risk or hard-to-staff tasks while experienced tradespeople move into higher-value roles such as supervision, quality assurance, and robotic operations.
The Role of Industrial Leadership
The St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) views the pilot as a strong indicator of the Parish’s industrial readiness and long-term competitiveness. SBEDF works to support the infrastructure, workforce alignment, and business environment that allow employers to test, adopt, and scale advanced manufacturing technologies in St. Bernard Parish.
SSE Steel’s participation reflects the industrial leadership represented on SBEDF’s Board of Directors. SSE Steel CEO Mindy Nunez Airhart is the current Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and brings an active manufacturing perspective to the Foundation’s economic development strategy.
“As a homegrown, family-owned business, SSE Steel Fabrication has shown its long-standing commitment to St. Bernard Parish and its workforce. They are using innovative technology to make their workplace safer and more efficient, while developing humanoid systems that work alongside their skilled workers. This is the kind of leadership that attracts advanced manufacturing investment, strengthens local jobs, and supports career growth in our community,” said Meaghan McCormack, CEO of the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation.
Scaling Innovation Across Louisiana’s Core Industries
For Persona AI, the St. Bernard Parish facility provides a real-world environment to accelerate humanoid development ahead of broader deployment.
“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. “Louisiana is actively investing in the innovation required to rebuild domestic shipbuilding and heavy manufacturing capacity. Working alongside LA.IO, GNO, Inc., and industrial leaders like SSE Steel gives our humanoid the conditions it needs to mature and deploy at scale.”
The pilot reflects broader national momentum around humanoid robotics across manufacturing, maritime, energy, defense, and infrastructure. As these technologies advance, adoption historically creates new, higher-value roles even as it transforms existing ones, expanding demand for robot technicians, systems operators, safety supervisors, data specialists, and skilled trades trained to work alongside advanced machines.
“Real innovation happens when you take what already works and responsibly push it into what’s next—exactly what SSE Steel and Persona AI are doing in St. Bernard Parish,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of GNO, Inc. “Louisiana has the industrial depth to deploy AI in the real world, at real scale, in ways that strengthen operations while preserving and upskilling jobs. This pilot is about modernizing proven processes safely, attracting sustained investment, and building a durable competitive advantage for our industrial workforce and communities.”
What Comes Next
The pilot is focused on data collection and real-world validation ahead of broader deployments. State and regional leaders view it as a foundational step toward scaling humanoid robotics across Louisiana’s core industries and establishing St. Bernard Parish as a national proving ground for next-generation industrial work.
Additional details will be announced as the project progresses.
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About the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation
St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is the official economic development organization and public-private partnership of St. Bernard Parish formed to create and retain jobs, build prosperity, and improve quality of life. To learn more about SBEDF and how the organization works to foster business attraction, retention and expansion, neighborhood revitalization, small business assistance, and talent and workforce development in St. Bernard Parish, sbedf.org.
About Persona AI
Persona Al, a pioneering robotics company headquartered in Houston, Texas, is at the forefront of developing intelligent humanoid robots specifically designed for a wide array of industrial applications. Established in 2024, Persona Al leverages a rich heritage of expertise, drawing from decades of experience in crafting sophisticated robotics for demanding environments, including space and deep-ocean exploration. This background enables the company to address real-world labor challenges with innovative and robust solutions. Learn more at www.persona.ai.
About SSE Steel
SSE Steel Fabrication is an AISC-certified, woman-owned steel fabrication contractor located in St. Bernard, Louisiana. SSE specializes in structural fabrication utilizing state-of-the-art technology and the latest in robotic machinery, delivering precision-engineered steel solutions for high-profile commercial, industrial, and municipal projects across the United States. SSE is certified by the American Institute of Steel Construction as a Certified Fabricator, with an endorsement in Building, Simple Bridge and Bridge Component Manufacturing. SSE has been repeatedly recognized for its rapid growth, appearing four times on both the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies and the LSU 100 list. Learn more at www.sse-la.com.
About Louisiana Innovation <LA.IO>
Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO) is a division of Louisiana Economic Development dedicated to strengthening and modernizing the state’s core industries through innovation. LA.IO supports high-potential, tech-enabled startups by connecting founders to capital, fostering partnerships across accelerators, universities, investors, and industry, and advancing transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced automation. Learn more at www.la.io.
About Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.)
GNO, Inc. is the regional economic development organization for Southeast Louisiana. GNO, Inc.’s mission is to create a Greater New Orleans with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life, for everyone. More information can be found at www.gnoinc.org.