FAA Launches SMART AI System to Modernize Air Traffic Control, Starting in Washington Region

The Federal Aviation Administration is rolling out an artificial intelligence-powered air traffic management platform this week, marking the first major operational deployment of AI in U.S. airspace control. The system, called SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories), debuts in the Washington, D.C. area as early as Monday and is designed to help controllers resolve flight delays before they happen by analyzing schedules, weather data, runway capacity, and operational constraints across a 45-day forecast window.