Miami Airport bets on chatbot-hologram fusion to transform the passenger experience
As airports race to adopt transformative technologies, Miami International Airport (MIA) is charting a bold path; blending automation, mixed reality, and human-centred design. Speaking ahead of his appearance at World Aviation Festival 2025 in Lisbon, Maurice Jenkins, Chief Innovation Officer IAP C.M. at MIA, revealed the airport’s top tech investment for 2025: an omni-channel chatbot integrated with interactive holograms.
“You’ll be able to speak to a hologram and get real-time airport information without needing an app,” said Jenkins. “Whether it’s WhatsApp, Messenger or something else, we’re removing friction and making it natural. That’s what great tech should do.”
Jenkins will be joining global aviation leaders at World Aviation Festival 2025, held from 7th-9th October at Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL). The event will bring together 6,000 attendees, 600 speakers, and 400 exhibitors, with dedicated tracks on AI, smart airports, digital transformation, and autonomous technology.
Beyond tech – creating emotional touchpoints through sensory innovation
While AI dominates headlines, Jenkins says true innovation is as much emotional as it is technological. MIA is exploring sensory branding, including a signature scent and “Miami drink,” designed to build a sense of place and extend the passenger experience beyond arrival gates. “When you get off the plane, why rush to baggage claim? Why not stay immersed in the journey?”, he said.
This approach is part of Jenkins’ broader mission to establish a culture of innovation that reimagines customer experience and repositions the airport as a dynamic, adaptive ecosystem. “Innovation isn’t just about tech; it’s process improvement. It’s cultural shift,” he said.
Human-centred automation – robotics, autonomy and trust
From cleaning robots to autonomous lawnmowers, Jenkins is embracing automation, but not at the expense of people. “We’re not substituting humans; we’re repositioning talent to add more value,” he explained. Miami Airport is also working with vendors on aircraft turnaround analytics and autonomous vehicle testing, drawing inspiration from airfield innovations in Hong Kong and Europe.
On AI, Jenkins remains pragmatic. “Everyone’s chasing the panacea,” he said. “But we’ve seen real promise in AI for revenue optimization and customer experience. At the same time, we’re evaluating where it can deliver tangible operational benefits… not every airport is the same.”
MIA’s tech roadmap includes experiments in parallel reality and continued partnerships with startups. Jenkins says some of these are “still under wraps.” But above all, it’s the mindset that matters… “We’re building a culture of innovation. Our executives are backing it. That’s what will change our airport… and the industry.”
Maurice Jenkins will be live on stage in Lisbon as part of the Smart Airports & Innovation track at World Aviation Festival 2025. For more information, click here.