The Federal Aviation Administration's new AI tool, Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories (SMART), will debut with a modest scope following airline industry concerns. Initially, SMART will only advise air traffic controllers managing flights for the three airports serving the nation's capital, according to industry officials. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency plans a 90-day testing period before wider rollout.

Airline officials had been "freaking out" over vague FAA descriptions of extensive AI integration into daily air traffic management. After sustained meetings, including a Sept. 10 session between major airline CEOs and Bedford, the FAA agreed to a "crawl, walk, run" approach. The tool will generate alternative route information passed through existing systems without creating new procedures.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Bedford have championed AI to address persistent congestion and safety issues following the January 2025 midair collision over Washington and a fatal March runway crash at La Guardia Airport. FAA spokesperson Hannah Walden said the agency is "moving at record speed to modernize America's National Airspace System" and welcomed airline feedback for the methodical rollout.