Nic Radford and Persona AI: Redefining Industrial Robotics Through Embodied Intelligence

From The robot Report / Persona AI

When Nic Radford co-founded Persona AI in 2024, he wasn’t looking to jump on the humanoid robot hype train—he was trying to steady it. After years at NASA, where he led the development of the Valkyrie humanoid robot, and later as founder of Houston Mechatronics (now Nauticus Robotics), Radford knew the technical and commercial pitfalls of building humanoids better than most. As he told IEEE Spectrum, “Robots aren’t that hard to build; they’re hard to make useful and make money with.”

That pragmatic lens defines Persona AI’s mission: to create commercially viable humanoid robots engineered for real industrial environments—starting with shipyards and industrial facilities.

Radford will explore that vision in his upcoming keynote, “Where Are We Going With Embodied AI,” at the “Automation and AI in Energy” Energy Drone & Robotics Forum on November 12, 2025. He’ll outline how embodied intelligence—the integration of AI with adaptable physical forms—can reshape how industries work, build, and sustain operations.

From Space to Sea: A New Generation of Humanoids

Persona AI’s founding team reads like a who’s who of advanced robotics. Including co-founder Jerry Pratt, who spent two decades at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), co-founded Boardwalk Robotics, and served as CTO at Figure AI—one of the highest-profile humanoid startups to date.

But while many humanoid companies are chasing logistics and automotive markets, Persona AI has taken a distinctive route: shipyards and industrial inspection. In partnership with ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), Persona recently announced it is developing humanoids inspired by NASA’s dexterous robotic hands to tackle inspection, maintenance, and construction tasks in confined or ergonomically challenging environments.

“Partnering with ABS, the global authority on maritime standards, demonstrates that humanoid robotics are no longer a distant concept but on a path toward certified reality,” said Radford. “This marks a defining moment for the shipbuilding industry.” 

Why Now: The Industrial Readiness Moment

According to Radford and Pratt, the timing is finally right. Advances in AI perception pipelines, battery efficiency, and robotic hand durability are enabling practical humanoid deployments. “We can get a whole perception pipeline to run at the framerate of our sensors,” Pratt explained. “That’s probably the main enabling technology that’s happened over the last 10 years.”

The team’s first robots will focus on repetitive, high-value industrial labor tasks where precision, endurance, and safety matter most. Persona’s Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model removes the need for massive upfront capital, making adoption easier for heavy industries facing labor shortages.

The idea of a humanoid-based business isn’t new for Radford. “As far back as probably 2008, we were thinking about starting a humanoids company,” he said. “But for one reason or another the viability just wasn’t there.” 

But they feel like now is the right time to build humanoid robots—and do so in a way that’s financially viable. Radford said, “Can we build a business that uses robots and makes money? We’re pretty sure that this is likely the best time in history to execute on that potential.” 

Industrial Impact and Market Momentum

Earlier this year, Persona AI raised $27 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round to accelerate development and deployment. The funding supports early agreements with HD Hyundai and other industrial partners, with the first shipyard deployments expected within 18 months. 

While global robotics giants are pursuing warehouse and factory applications, Persona’s industrial focus could position it as a leader in high-risk, human-centric environments. Its work dovetails with broader industry projections—Morgan Stanley estimates the U.S. market for humanoid labor could reach $5 trillion, driven by embodied AI that augments rather than replaces human workers.

Building the Future, One Piece at a Time

For Radford, embodied AI’s benefits can’t be shown in big ideas and flashy demos. “The idea is like one percent of starting a company,” he said. The rest of it is execution: understanding the market, the business model, and the mistakes of the past.

That grounded philosophy—paired with Persona AI’s roots in engineering and its commercial discipline—underscores why Radford’s keynote is one to watch. As humanoid robots move from speculation to certification, Persona AI is showing how embodied AI can step off the lab floor and into the industrial world—safely, profitably, and with purpose.

Learn more about the upcoming Energy Drone & Robotics Forum on November 12, 2025, in Houston, TX, for details on Radford’s keynote and other energy AI and automation topics.