The picture at San José Mineta International
A passenger question at Gate 24
A humanoid guide attracts attention in a terminal, but the operational question is whether passengers can obtain useful answers in languages and situations the airport struggles to cover with conventional information points.
San José Mineta announced a four-month IntBot pilot in March 2026, positioning the robot José at Terminal B Gate 24. The airport said it could respond in more than 50 languages.
The airport has also launched Touchless ID and CLEAR biometric eGates for eligible travellers. Those identity services are separate from the robot's passenger-information experiment.
Selected implementations
What a four-month test should decide
01 / Pilot
José answers at a specified gate
The operational problem
Travellers need accurate gate, facility and onward travel information without an unnecessary wait for staff.
What the sources report
The airport announced on 24 March 2026 that its AI-powered IntBot humanoid José had begun a four-month pilot at Terminal B Gate 24 and could answer questions in more than 50 languages.
Why it matters
A stated location and trial duration create a sensible basis for testing whether the service resolves real passenger questions.
What remains unprovenThe available record does not report the final trial decision, independent answer accuracy, number of completed requests or staff handoff rates.
Sources and verification (1)
San José Mineta Intl. Airport · Evidence grade A
Evidence supports a reported claim; it does not automatically establish a measured operating benefit.
The wider register
What else is happening at San José Mineta International?
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID and CLEAR biometric eGates are documented separately. Identity matching at security should not be portrayed as a benefit from José.
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID and CLEAR biometric eGates at SJC · Deployed · limited scope
On 26 January 2026 SJC introduced TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, according to the airport.
CLEAR biometric eGates opened at the Terminal B PreCheck lane in March 2026, SJC said.
Sources and verification (2)
Open the full record →
The decision after the trial matters
San José has stated what it is testing and where. The lasting significance depends on what the airport learned.
A dated continuation, modification or termination decision would be more useful than another demonstration video.