HII and Path Robotics to Apply AI in Shipbuilding

- Path Robotics' "physical AI" utilizes a foundational AI model named Obsidian™, which has been trained on tens of millions of welded inches to enable robotic welding cells to adapt to variations in parts in real-time. Their systems are engineered to handle large structures, with one of their products, the AW-3, capable of managing parts up to 70 feet long. - The collaboration aims to address significant challenges in the naval shipbuilding industry, which include a shrinking labor pool of skilled welders and the high complexity and cost associated with building military vessels. The U.S. Navy's shipbuilding programs have been persistently behind schedule and over budget for decades. - Path Robotics' technology does not require extensive human programming for new parts, instead using computer vision and AI to adapt to different shapes and conditions automatically. This approach is designed to increase productivity significantly, with the company claiming their intelligent welding cells can be up to 17 times faster than manual welding. - HII is the largest military shipbuilder in the United States, with a workforce of 44,000 and reported revenues of $12.5 billion in 2025. The company's interest in AI extends beyond this partnership, with other initiatives in unmanned systems, C6ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and AI/ML applications for battlefield decisions. - The formal agreement will be a memorandum of understanding signed by HII's Executive Vice President of Maritime Systems & Corporate Strategy, Eric Chewning, and Path Robotics' CEO and co-founder, Andy Lonsberry. - The global market for robotics in shipbuilding was valued at $2.14 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $5.44 billion by 2032. This growth is driven by the need to automate repetitive tasks like welding and cutting to improve precision, reduce errors, and mitigate skilled labor shortages.