AI in Aviation: Reaching New Heights and Efficiencies

When it comes to AI adoption, the aviation industry is soaring above most other global business sectors, says Bruce Fairley, US engineering operations director, hybrid intelligence at technology and consulting services firm Capgemini. 

The aviation industry has utilized AI and ML for several years, Fairley explains. "Aviation industry segments, from commercial and defense organizations to airports and drone manufacturers, have implemented AI and ML solutions in varying degrees and use cases," he notes in an email interview. "At a high-level, AI enables efficiencies across key functions, such as supply chain management and business operations, for commercial, business, and defense aviation enterprises." 

AI has profoundly transformed many elements within the aviation industry, observes Matthijs Kieskamp, data science and analytics leader at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. "A notable impact lies in operational decision-making, historically reliant solely on human expertise due to the industry's complexity," he says via email. "AI takes this to a whole new level, allowing rapid and consistent decision-making, taking into account the whole operational context." As AI adoption continues growing and evolving, Kieskamp expects that GenAI will have a serious impact on all customer facing interactions, making them increasingly smoother, more interactive, and personalized. 

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Multiple Gateways 

In an email interview, Tony Lo Brutto, executive vice president, identification and biometric solutions, North America, with aerospace and defense equipment manufacturer Thales, pinpoints four major areas where AI is already providing significant additional value. 

Expected Turbulence 

Business leaders in all fields, but particularly in aviation, must understand how to implement and utilize advanced AI solutions and identify suitable applications that allow them to be used safely and effectively. "This will require improved data management to ensure AI models are equipped with complete data sets," Fairley says. He notes that aviation enterprises will also need to train their AI models against a variety of scenarios and develop thorough guardrails to mitigate risks. "Although the brunt of the responsibility falls on each company, it's important to note that the aviation industry can, and must, look to government regulations to guide their AI deployments." 

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Aviation industry AI regulation presents a really interesting case because it's being viewed worldwide as a template for AI regulation across other industries as well, says Gemma Galdón-Clavell, an advisor to the United Nations and European Union on applied ethics and responsible AI. "How do you regulate something that's highly technical and complex, but also poses serious, sometimes fatal risks?" she asks in an email interview. "The world is watching with great interest as the AI industry, which thus far has accelerated very quickly with little oversight or accountability, wades into the highly regulated aviation industry where there are controls and procedures for absolutely everything." 

Arriving Now 

Kieskamp says he's looking forward to the development of various aviation-localized AI applications. "Improving bits and pieces of all processes and customer interactions, making them more integrated and connected with each other." Kieskamp's also anticipating widespread adoption of GenAI as an umbrella tool, "making it easier to access all combined backend data from various platforms into a single interface." 

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As things currently stand, aviation workers are only peripherally exposed to AI technology, Fairley says. "Air traffic controllers likely recognize that AI enables their dashboards, and business leaders may have some understanding of how AI improves their supply chain management capabilities to avoid disruptions." In the years ahead, he expects more obvious, homogenous, and ubiquitous access to AI. "Everyone, from executives to travelers, will interact with AI in more direct and pronounced ways," Fairley predicts. 

Flying High 

AI's integration into virtually every aspect of aviation promises to make the sector safer, more efficient, and increasingly sensitive to passenger and environmental requirements, Lo Brutto says. "The continuing development and deployment of AI technology will be important in addressing the challenges and possibilities faced by the aviation industry in the years to come," he predicts. "Especially as the industry undergoes major transformation with the introduction of drones and UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) ... we need technology such as AI to address complex situations and ensure that everyone safely gets to where they want to go."