Why Humanoid Robots Are Taking off at Airports

Why Humanoid Robots Are Taking off at Airports describes trials in which humanoid robots begin supporting passengers in busy terminals, integrating conversational AI with live airport and flight information. At San José Mineta International Airport’s Terminal B, passengers encounter a humanoid robot named José, mounted on a fixed base behind an information desk. The pilot, backed by IntBot, allows José to switch languages and answer questions about flights, baggage and directions, including follow-ups using a combination of conversational AI and real-time data. San José and Tokyo Haneda are cited as major hubs testing robots in crowded areas, as well as on runway aprons and around passenger services. IntBot chose to tether José during the four-month San José pilot to reduce risks from power or battery failures. The airport says José supports travelers in more than 50 languages, and that 25% of interactions are not in English. The article also notes that physical agents orchestrate models across edge and cloud.