Duffy: A ‘human’ will always be in charge of AI air traffic program

( NewsNation ) — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sought to assure Americans on Monday that a “human” will always manage U.S. airspace while unveiling a new AI tool aimed at helping air traffic controllers manage congestion and reduce flight delays.

“It’s always going to be a human that manages the airspace in America,” Duffy said during the event in Washington.

The Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories , or SMART, program will use AI to analyze air travel, airport capacity and weather. The rollout will begin at Reagan Washington National (DCA), Dulles International (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) airports, according to the Transportation Department (DOT).

“This tool won’t manage the airspace, but it gives us better information, better data to manage the airspace on behalf of the American people,” the DOT chief added.

Officials have worked to calm AI fears in recent days after several Anthropic researchers raised concerns about the potential for artificial intelligence to become uncontrollable — with one warning AI could potentially destroy humanity by the end of the decade.

That prompted calls for policymakers and regulators to take the warnings seriously , even as the exact risks remain difficult to measure or independently verify.

President Trump, however, has lashed out against concerns about rogue AI , claiming that any efforts to limit the technology are part of a “SICK conspiracy.”

“AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX,” Trump posted on social media.

Duffy said Monday the SMART program shows America continues to lead in aviation technology.

“(SMART) is going to help us provide a different experience for the American people,” he said. “I want to be clear again: This has not been deployed anywhere in the world; America was the first in flight.”

“We’re the ones that helped the world set up air traffic control, and we are again leading the world in new technology to bring more efficiency and a better experience to the American people,” the secretary added.