The Federal Aviation Administration is set to deploy a new artificial intelligence system designed to improve air traffic management in one of the country’s busiest corridors, beginning as early as Monday. The software, known as Smart—short for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories—will initially be introduced in the Washington, D.C., area before expanding nationwide.

Smart aims to assist both the FAA and airlines by reducing flight delays and cancellations and helping to identify optimal routing when disruptions occur. The tool analyzes a range of data including airline schedules, weather conditions, airport runway capacity, and operational constraints. By forecasting air traffic flows, it can help prevent conflicts before they arise, potentially easing congestion in heavily trafficked airspace.

The system’s full deployment is intended to serve as a central intelligence layer for the national air-traffic control network. This initiative is part of a broader $875 million, 12-year contract awarded to Air Space Intelligence earlier this year to develop Smart and an associated platform. The contract is aligned with efforts by the Trump administration to modernize the nation’s air-traffic infrastructure, which includes significant investment in new technology as well as initiatives to boost hiring and training of air-traffic controllers.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, a former regional airline executive, has described current air traffic management as “chaotic” and emphasized the need for improved centralized coordination. “We need to manage that at the FAA, rather than rely on commercial airlines to simply schedule however they want,” Bedford said during Senate testimony earlier this year.

While the Smart tool’s initial rollout is more limited in scope than some aviation industry stakeholders had anticipated after months of planning, the system has garnered cautious optimism. Airlines for America, a trade group representing the airline industry, expressed that Smart could enhance safety, increase capacity, and improve operational efficiency, benefiting both travelers and shippers.

FAA officials are collaborating with airlines to coordinate flight schedules during the software’s implementation, though questions remain regarding how the system will balance operational coordination amid competitive pressures among carriers, especially for desirable flight slots.

As the FAA proceeds with this technology-driven approach, the effectiveness of Smart in managing increasingly complex air traffic patterns will be closely watched by regulators and industry participants alike.