FAA Takes Cautious Approach to AI Adoption Amid Challenges

The Federal Aviation Administration is taking a cautious approach to integrating artificial intelligence into its operations amid the unique challenges it faces with the emerging technology.

FAA acting Administrator Polly Trottenberg said that while the FAA continues to face hurdles in deploying AI, it has already started using predictive analysis, machine learning and AI to create data streams.

A lack of risk management methodologies and best practices is among the reasons why the FAA continues to face difficulties in adopting the emerging technology, FedScoop reported.

The agency is collaborating with various organizations to study other uses for AI. It worked with Georgia Tech and the University of Maryland to use the technology to measure collision risk. It also maintains ongoing work with NASA focused on taking advantage of AI for runway configuration management.

While the agency maintains a list of its AI use cases, a report in July 2023 claimed that an air traffic worker used a generative AI tool to write codes. FAA has since clarified that it does not use ChatGPT for such purposes.