Boston Logan International Airport has introduced Amelia, a life-size AI avatar concierge designed to guide passengers through the terminal using natural conversation and real-time directions.
The pilot service, announced by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), was created in partnership with Proto Hologram and Holomedia AI. According to the companies, Boston Logan is the largest airport to date to deploy this type of AI avatar technology, which has previously been used in sectors including healthcare, education, finance, retail, sports and entertainment.
Amelia helps travelers find gates, restaurants, shops, lounges and baggage claim at any time of day. The system is self-contained, operating via a touchscreen with no external hardware, and pairs step-by-step directions with live mapping and real-time TSA updates.
Additional features include multilingual support in up to 40 languages, starting with English, Spanish, and French; integration with real-time TSA wait-time data; the ability to connect travelers directly with live customer service agents when needed; and accessibility features including high-contrast displays, closed captioning, WCAG-compliant mapping and wheelchair-accessible positioning. Massport said the system is also intended to support airport staff during peak periods by handling routine wayfinding queries, freeing staff to focus on more complex customer service tasks.
“It takes bold vision to implement emerging technologies like holograms and AI avatars, innovations that still feel like science fiction to most people,” said David Nussbaum, founder of Proto Hologram. “But Massport understands that the technology is ready now, and that it can create a smoother and more pleasant experience at Boston Logan while also supporting the human staff so they can do their best too.”
“Amelia represents the future of passenger engagement,” said Glenn E Smith, spatial computing and hologram XP at Holomedia AI. “She combines the best of human connection with the power of AI. We designed her to meet travelers where they are, in their language, at their pace, helping them navigate the airport with confidence and ease.”
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