The FAA Is Rolling Out Its AI Air Traffic Tool Nationwide

Key Points:

• The FAA is expanding its $875 million AI tool, SMART, nationwide to assist in managing air traffic and reduce delays and fuel consumption, following a successful test in Washington, D.C. that rerouted 180 flights with average savings of 10 minutes and 80 gallons of fuel per flight.
• SMART combines data on weather, flight paths, traffic flow, and controller staffing, but human air traffic controllers retain final decision-making authority, with expert teams validating SMART’s recommendations before they reach controllers.
• The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) was not involved in SMART’s development and has raised concerns about limited workforce input and training, while House Democrats have requested a Government Accountability Office review of the system’s implementation and safety risks.
• Critics worry the Trump administration is rushing SMART’s rollout without sufficient testing, raising questions about the reliability of AI in air traffic control and its potential to interfere with experienced controllers’ decisions.
• Airlines initially expressed concern about the tool’s impact but were reassured that SMART generates alternative routes without directly controlling air traffic operations; some industry leaders, including American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, have praised the system.