Democrats ask for AI air traffic control tool pause until questions answered

Several House Democrats are asking the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to pause its new AI air traffic control tool until their questions are answered.

The group of lawmakers — led by Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) and including D.C.’s nonvoting Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) — sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford regarding the rollout of the AI-enabled Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories (SMART) tool.

The technology is currently in use at Reagan Washington National Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport.

The Democratic lawmakers expressed concern over the D.C.-area airports being used to test the tool because the region is “still reeling from the impacts of the tragic midair collision of a passenger flight and military helicopter over DCA [National Airport], in which 67 people died.”

“Given extensive recent reporting on AI cybersecurity incidents and other unpredictable behavior from AI systems, we are deeply concerned about the integration of any AI-enabled system into air traffic control systems, where decisions are literally a matter of life or death,” the lawmakers continued.

The SMART tool allows controllers to have a real-time view of which planes are at the gate, taxiing and waiting for departure. It considers multiple factors — including weather patterns, airport capacity and real-time airspace conditions — to help manage air traffic and ease congestion at the nation’s airports.

During its announcement, Bedford stated that SMART would not be used by controllers whose job it is to prevent collisions and maintain safety.

The letter questioned if the technology would strain air traffic control’s system and what steps the FAA has taken to validate the accuracy and safety of the technology.

When asked about the letter, the FAA told The Hill, “Flying is safe, and it always will be. But passengers deserve a better, more reliable travel experience and the FAA developed SMART to help deliver it.”

“It does not control aircraft or replace air traffic controllers, who have full autonomy over this. Administrator Bedford has already demonstrated SMART for numerous Members, and those who haven’t seen it have a standing invitation from him to do so,” the FAA continued.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), another signatory on the letter, previously warned the FAA the technology was being launched without assurances of public safety. He called on the Trump administration to suspend SMART’s rollout until it can be vetted more thoroughly by human operators on the ground.

The Department of Transportation referred The Hill to Duffy’s past statement on Beyer’s letter.

“Here’s the truth: HUMANS still control the airspace and HUMANS still make the calls,” Duffy wrote. “With SMART, we are giving air traffic controllers new technology and better data to make critical decisions.”