FAA Deploys $875 Million AI System to Manage Air Traffic

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching an AI-powered air traffic management system called SMART in one of the country's busiest flight corridors near Washington, D.C. Developed by Air Space Intelligence under a 12-year, $875 million contract, the system analyzes flight schedules, weather, and runway capacity to predict traffic flow and reroute aircraft during disruptions. Air traffic control staffing shortages and severe weather frequently trigger widespread flight delays and cancellations across North America. Deploying AI across nationwide airspace represents a major real-world application of safety-critical automated decision support in complex transport infrastructure. Initially operating at a limited scale as a decision-support tool, SMART will gradually expand its functionality to include staggered arrival timing and multi-day route planning. Airlines have expressed interest while seeking clarity on how the software will handle competitive scheduling during peak travel hours.