America Trembles as Transportation Secretary Announces Plans for Air Traffic Controllers to Lean on AI Tools

The U.S. Department of Transportation says the FAA is developing SMART, an AI-enabled airspace routing and scheduling tool.

Palantir, Thales SA, and Air Space Intelligence are competing for work on the system, which is part of FAA modernization.

Officials say SMART could help plan flights weeks in advance and reduce delays, while human controllers would remain in charge.

The proposed system could reshape U.S. air traffic management, raising questions about safety, reliability, and automation in critical infrastructure.