One of the most interesting products I saw at InfoComm this year wasn’t a piece of hardware — it was software. And in my opinion, that’s a trend that continues to grow as technology advances: The software is becoming the star.

Jetbuilt’s new product, Jetbot, is one of the more productive uses of AI I’ve seen in AV. In short, Jetbot is an AV technician in your pocket (via your phone). It provides real-time support to end users experiencing AV problems.

According to Jetbuilt’s promotional material and website, the tool uses AI to scan all the owners manuals and troubleshooting guides for the equipment installed in your space. The model is also trained on best practices in AV troubleshooting and understands the specific design and layout of each room.

When a user runs into an issue, they can scan a QR code (more on that in a minute) and begin a text chat with the bot. What stood out to me in the demo was that it’s clearly working from installation-specific data. For example, they showed a case where a digital sign wasn’t displaying anything. Instead of asking something vague like “Is there power?” the bot asked, “Take a look at the front right corner of the LG display. Is there a green light showing?”

That kind of specific question does two important things. First, it reassures the user that they’re interacting with a tool that understands their equipment — building trust, which is crucial. Second, it gives crystal-clear instructions, which is especially helpful for users who may not be technically inclined.

That said, the product could use a bit more polish to fully deliver on these strengths. The demo felt a bit scripted, so it’s unclear how well Jetbot handles plain language in real-world scenarios. If users have to speak in highly technical terms to get results, the tool loses a lot of its value.

Now, back to the QR code. The concept is solid, and more people are comfortable using them. But they still carry security risks. It’s easy for a bad actor to replace a printed QR code with one that redirects to a malicious site to steal credentials. A better, more secure option would be to initiate the support chat from within an app or via an authenticated barcode scan.

Jetbuilt also announced a new feature at InfoComm: live appointment scheduling from within the app. If the problem isn’t resolved after going through the troubleshooting steps — or if the device is physically damaged — the user can immediately schedule a technician to come on-site.

I see a lot of growth potential for this type of product. One future path is for integrators to include it as part of their AVaaS (AV-as-a-Service) offerings. Jetbot could serve as the first line of support. That would require a service-level agreement (SLA) that clearly states the end user is expected to complete initial troubleshooting. If the issue persists, they can schedule a service call — completely bypassing internal support. For integrators who can scale this across clients and locations, the value is obvious.

For internal tech departments — particularly in higher ed — there would need to be a strong budgetary and strategic justification. In many cases, the only path forward would be for the tool to replace a full-time staffer or reduce the need to hire one. But Jetbot could make a compelling case for after-hours support. Many of us have evening classes or weekend events, but our support hours stick to the standard workweek. For schools wanting to offer extended coverage without adding full-time staff, this could be an effective alternative.