Can AI Replace Pilots?

While AI can be meticulous and reliable, there can be emergency situations where human decision making will become necessary

Modern day passenger jets are highly sophisticated, with a significant percentage of the systems fully automated. In the future, the aviation sector can witness increased use of artificial intelligence (AI). But will AI replace pilots completely? To answer that, here are some important things to understand.

How AI can improve aviation?

No personal bias or emotional baggage – Humans carry plenty of personal opinions, even if such beliefs may not be true. Emotions and ego can also influence decision making in critical situations. In comparison, an AI system will be completely free from such limitations. An AI system will stick to standard operating procedures (SOPs), thereby reducing the risk of aviation accidents.

Large knowledgebase – An AI system will have access to a vast amount of aviation data. It will cover details about thousands of previous incidents, reported issues, etc. The AI system can quickly analyze this data to come up with potential solutions. This will be in addition to following the standard operating procedures. Retaining and effectively utilizing such vast amounts of data is quite challenging for human pilots.

Superior operational efficiency – An AI system will be more efficient at managing the operational aspects of flying a plane. For example, an AI pilot can seamlessly manage air traffic control data, weather patterns, flight paths and schedules. AI can easily manage landing and take-off from entirely new airports.

Predict failures – An AI system can analyze past data to predict potential problems that can occur in the plane. This will allow maintenance personnel to carry out the necessary repairs before the problem actually surfaces. With predictive maintenance and repairs, AI can make aviation a lot safer.

Less flight delays and cancellations – With AI based systems, airlines will have less worries about resource management. AI systems can fly non-stop, without getting fatigued or needing rest.

Cheaper flight tickets – With AI based systems, the cost of operating passenger jets will reduce. This in turn can allow airlines to reduce the price of flight tickets.

Challenges for AI in aviation

Cost of AI software – It is easy to imagine that an AI pilot system will be significantly advanced and quite costly. Similar to PC and smartphone, it will require upgrades and improvements at regular intervals. All this can increase the costs for airlines, even when they may save by reducing the number of human pilots.

Regulatory approval – It will not be easy to convince regulatory authorities to allow AI based flights. Airlines will have to demonstrate the complete safety and reliability of such systems. AI systems may have to pass a higher number of simulation tests before they are approved.

User hesitation – Airlines may also face some resistance from people, who may be concerned about an AI system flying their plane. Special initiatives may have to be launched to convince people to fly with AI pilots.

Human experience and judgement – While AI systems will have a stronger analytical and data-driven approach, they may lack the power of human experience and judgement. This can be crucial when dealing with entirely new emergency situations. AI systems may lack intuition and the ability to come up with innovative solutions.

As is evident from above, AI systems have both advantages and disadvantages. It is unlikely that AI will completely replace pilots anytime soon. But we can certainly see increased collaboration in the future, where AI and humans will work together to make aviation safer and more efficient.