Sendai Airport invests in AI technology to improve passenger experience

Sendai Airport has begun a three-month trial of a AI-powered chatbot called Bebot to serve English-speaking travellers through the terminal.

With the help of travel-focused AI technology, Bebot provides tourists with an intuitive, responsive and friendly channel to ask all questions that arise during travel. Guests are connected to Bebot automatically when accessing Sendai Airport’s free Wi-Fi – no additional downloads are necessary.

With Bebot, travellers can quickly access airport information about shops, restaurants, luggage storage and other available services, as well as Sendai tourism info, transportation options and how to get to other major areas in Japan – all through natural-language chat.

The AI bot has been launched in the U.S. recently; Bebot is now available for U.S.-based airports, hotels and travel destinations.

Akemi Tsunagawa, Founder and CEO of Bespoke, the creators of Bebot, said: “Wondering about a connecting flight, where to find money exchange, how to take a cab to a nearby restaurant, or where to find a comfortable place to stay? Bebot, will give you an answer right away. Our unique AI was developed from the ground up to serve the specific needs of travellers, providing them with timely info, tips and guidance needed to navigate foreign lands and new places.”

The AI technology is developed and refined with a focus on empowering travellers with essential information and tips in an intuitive and familiar, yet powerful chat service – improving travellers navigation and adventures, while relieving airport staff and improving the passenger journey through the airport whilst creating a seamless experience. The unique travel-focused AI is augmented by on-the-ready, seamless, human chat providing customers and travellers with a no-compromise, instantaneous and reliable source of information, while continuously optimising the AI technology.