FAA tees up $875M AI tool SMART to manage air traffic

The FAA's move to deploy the SMART AI tool comes as the agency is managing a multi-billion-dollar effort to upgrade aging equipment, including hundreds of radar systems dating back to the 1980s, along with radios, telecommunication lines, and voice switches. This modernization context is significant because it highlights the scale of the challenge the FAA faces in maintaining and improving air traffic control infrastructure. The SMART system, developed by Air Space Intelligence under an $875 million, 12-year contract, is intended to add a predictive layer above the FAA's existing flow management backbone. However, the specific AI models used remain unclear, and questions persist about the system's scope and accountability. The outcome hinges on whether the FAA can demonstrate SMART's reliability under real-world conditions and clearly define who is responsible when predictions go wrong. For air traffic controllers and airline operations staff, the tool's success could mean better congestion management, but its current limits and oversight gaps leave its impact uncertain.