Flying out of San Jose? The airport's humanoid AI robot is ready to help

San Jose airport debuts AI-powered robot to help travelers

An artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot is being tested for several months at San Jose Mineta International Airport.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Airports can be busy places, and sometimes you need a little extra help to find your way around.  

Where there's a need, there's often an artificial intelligence solution, at least in Silicon Valley.  What is called a "socially intelligent" artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot is being tested for several months at San Jose Mineta International Airport.

When traveler Tess Hau asked the robot, nicknamed "Jose," where to grab a bite for lunch, Jose responded. 

"Whether you are craving a burger or a quick sandwich or something more international, we have got you covered. Just let me know if you are feeling something particular," the robot said.

Hau replied, "I would love a burger."

"Got that burger craving?  You’ve got some options here at SJC. You can hit up the Gordon Biersch spot," Jose responded.

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Meet Jose, SJC's AI-powered robot

What we know:

The AI-powered robot can speak and respond in 50 different languages. 

"Jose" was designed, and is being tested, by a Silicon Valley-based company called IntBot — and is considered a "socially intelligent" AI humanoid robot, which is programmed especially for SJC. 

"Jose can greet travelers, answer their questions, and also guide them to travel through the airport," Lei Yang, the company’s co-founder and CEO, said.

Jose will be stationed inside the airport's secure area at Gate 24 for the next four months.  

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San Jose airport's pilot program

"This is just a pilot program to test out what our future might look like," Mookie Patel, the director of Aviation at SJC, said.

Over at the actual human-staffed information booth, volunteer Ken Gudan says he’s not worried the robot will take his job, but is a bit skeptical of how more complex tasks will be handled.

"Sometimes I have to do lost and found. And especially people who lose their cell phones that have their wallet and everything on the back of it – and you can watch people melt with joy when you return that cell phone," Gudan said. 

Hau admits she is an early adopter of technology, but she was impressed by what she saw.  

"It is nice to have a friend now, a robot friend, that can answer my questions," the traveler said.