What happened
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is preparing to bring in a new artificial intelligence air traffic management tool, according to TechNews.
The tool is named SMART, and the agency is spending US$875 million on the effort.
The report frames the move as a step toward making the entire US airspace smarter in the future.
Why it matters
The report ties the deployment to a shortage of air traffic control manpower that has persisted for decades, suggesting the agency sees AI as a way to relieve staffing pressure.
It also links the tool to preventing flight congestion, indicating the FAA expects AI to help manage traffic flow rather than replace human controllers outright.
Key facts
The FAA is introducing an AI air traffic management tool called SMART.
The FAA is spending US$875 million on the effort.
The report describes the move as a step toward future smart airspace across the US.
The report links the effort to a decades-long air traffic control manpower shortage and to preventing flight congestion.
What to watch next
How the FAA phases SMART into operations and whether it eases controller workload as intended.
Whether the agency extends the smart-airspace approach beyond this initial tool.
