San José Mineta International Airport has launched a four-month pilot with an AI-powered humanoid robot from local startup IntBot, placing the system in Terminal B near Gate 24 to assist travellers with directions, terminal information and general questions.
The robot, named José, is designed as an interactive assistant for passengers moving through one of the busiest public spaces in the region. According to the announcement, it can communicate in more than 50 languages and provide real-time information to travellers at the airport.
With the deployment, San José is turning its airport into a public testing ground for emerging AI applications. The pilot links the city’s identity as a technology hub to a practical use case in passenger services, at a time when airports are looking at new ways to improve accessibility, customer service and operational support.
San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire said the introduction of the robot reflects the city’s focus on applying emerging technology to everyday public services. Mayor Matt Mahan connected the timing to the expected arrival of international visitors for the FIFA World Cup, saying the system is intended to help passengers receive directions and information in multiple languages.
Airport director Mookie Patel said the airport is using the pilot to explore how artificial intelligence can improve the passenger journey while underlining San José Mineta International Airport’s position as the gateway to Silicon Valley.
IntBot presents the platform as a physical AI system built for public environments, combining perception, contextual reasoning and natural interaction. CEO Lei Yang said the airport deployment is intended as a large-scale test of socially intelligent robots in a busy real-world setting.
For Rocking Robots, the pilot is notable less for the hardware itself than for what it signals about where humanoid robots are finding early footholds. Rather than warehouse automation or industrial handling, this deployment focuses on front-of-house interaction in a complex public environment where navigation, language support and human-robot communication matter more than physical labour.
That makes the San José trial part of a broader trend in robotics: the rise of service-oriented humanoid systems designed to operate in airports, hotels, retail spaces and other public venues. In these settings, value depends on whether robots can deliver reliable information, interact naturally with diverse groups of people and remain useful in unpredictable surroundings.
Whether José becomes more than a publicity-friendly pilot will depend on how well it performs over the next four months. But the project gives IntBot a visible real-world test case, while offering San José Mineta International Airport an opportunity to assess whether humanoid AI assistants can play a practical role in the future of passenger experience.
