FAA Must Pause Use of AI-Based SMART ATC System, Lawmakers Say

Democratic legislators said they are ‘deeply concerned’ about the new air traffic control tool’s rollout in the Washington, D.C., area.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 12:12 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The AI-powered SMART system is undergoing an initial evaluation in the Washington, D.C. region ahead of a planned broader deployment. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A group of 25 lawmakers has urged the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation to pause the deployment of its AI-based Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) system.
Lawmakers expressed "deep concern" about the integration of AI into air traffic control, citing an "egregious lack of transparency" regarding the system's testing, integration, and potential impact on safety.
They have demanded detailed answers by October 19 on SMART's predeployment evaluation, ongoing oversight, and how critical stakeholders like air traffic controllers (who report little involvement) have been consulted and trained.
Concerns also include the potential for controllers to over-rely on automated recommendations amid staffing shortages and unanswered questions about accountability should SMART contribute to an unsafe situation.

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A group of 25 lawmakers has urged the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation to pause its use of the AI-based Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) system until officials provide more details on how it works and how it will be integrated into air traffic control.

Democratic lawmakers from both houses of Congress wrote to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy that they 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,” in a letter dated October 9.