FAA bets on AI to smooth air traffic while keeping controllers in charge

The FAA is piloting an AI initiative called SMART with Thales, Air Space Intelligence, and Palantir to forecast airspace demand and adjust departure timing, aiming to reduce delays without replacing safety-critical controller duties. The effort focuses on upstream planning using schedules and weather data to smooth flows, with an operational demonstration targeted for September 2026 and no finalized budget line item yet. NATCA has backed the broader modernization push as the project progresses.