FAA Expands AI Air Traffic Tool Nationwide

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced the nationwide deployment of its $875 million SMART system, an AI-driven tool designed to predict traffic patterns, recommend flight routes, and optimize scheduling. The expansion follows a successful initial rollout in the Washington, DC airspace that the agency says helped reroute 180 flights while saving fuel and time. While airline executives have praised the technology, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association noted that it was excluded from designing and testing the system. The FAA has clarified that human specialists and local air traffic controllers will ultimately validate all recommendations and maintain full control over aircraft operations.