Sean Duffy Unveils AI Tool To Cut Flight Delays But Draws A Clear Line: ‘It’s Always Going To Be A Human' Managing US Airspace
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled the Federal Aviation Administration’s AI-supported SMART platform on Monday, promising fewer delays while stressing that artificial intelligence will advise people running U.S. airspace.
Humans Retain Control As SMART Goes Live
"There’s been a lot of conversation about AI and who is controlling the airspace," Duffy said during a press conference. "It’s always going to be a human that manages the airspace in America."
He added, "This tool won’t manage the airspace, but it gives us better information, better data to manage the airspace on behalf of the American people."
The Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, aka SMART system, began limited operations around Washington, D.C., covering Reagan National, Dulles International and Baltimore/Washington International. The FAA says SMART combines 200 data streams, including weather, flight paths, traffic flow and controller staffing, and uses an AI-supported engine to anticipate congestion and capacity constraints.
FAA staff review every recommendation, while local air-traffic leadership can accept or reject suggestions. SMART cannot replace controllers or take control of aircraft, the agency said. The system is designed to identify congestion, weather and capacity constraints earlier, giving controllers and traffic managers more time to adjust schedules and routes before disruptions spread.
AI Tool Targets Delays Before They Spread
Reuters reported that the FAA awarded Air Space Intelligence an $875 million, 12-year contract in June for the new software system. The agency plans to expand SMART gradually beyond Washington.
Outage Sheds Light On Wider FAA Modernization Push
The rollout came on a difficult day for the FAA. A failed communications circuit and severed backup fiber line snarled nearly 7,000 U.S. flights Monday before crews restored Northeast operations. The disruption renewed scrutiny of the aging network after earlier Philadelphia-area failures had already prompted FAA testing of SpaceX’s Starlink connections.
SMART forms part of a broader air-traffic-control modernization push. Duffy has previously highlighted plans to retire floppy disks and paper flight strips, while the administration has also replaced the older NOTAM platform. The FAA says it is already deploying $12.5 billion in funds across 13 modernization workstreams.
At the same press conference, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said combining SMART with hardware upgrades should "cut flight delays, optimize traffic, and keep airspace capacity across the country open" while maintaining safety.
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