- San José airport starts testing an AI robot called José to assist travelers.
- The pilot test launched on Tuesday amid travel chaos at many US airports.
- Some TSA workers have stopped coming into work due to a government shutdown.
One of Silicon Valley's main airports just made its newest hire, a robot named "José."
San José Mineta International Airport is turning to artificial intelligence to ease the strain of modern air travel, debuting "José," a humanoid robot, as some US airports grapple with staffing shortages and widespread delays.
Developed by Silicon Valley startup IntBot, José is designed to greet passengers, answer questions, and provide real-time updates while autonomously navigating busy terminals.
The robot will be stationed in SJC's Terminal B as part of a four-month pilot, "singlehandedly running his own gate," according to an email previewing the test that referred to José as the airport's "newest hire."
Airport officials said the launch highlights San José's role as a testing ground for emerging technologies to improve customer service.
"By piloting IntBot, we're exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance the passenger journey while reinforcing SJC's role as the gateway to Silicon Valley," said SJC Director of Aviation Mookie Patel.
The timing is notable. Airports across the US have been hit by long security lines and travel chaos, driven in part by many Transportation Security Administration workers not reporting to work during a partial government shutdown. With TSA agents going unpaid at the height of the spring break season, some airports have struggled to maintain normal operations.
José the robot represents a broader push to automate parts of the airport experience, from passenger assistance to information delivery.
SJC officials said the pilot will help evaluate how multimodal AI, combining vision, audio, and language, performs in real-world environments.
The future of air travel may include a robotic helping hand — and it can't come fast enough for weary vacationers stuck in long lines.
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