Will AI replace air traffic controllers?
Updated
Air traffic controllers score 37 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 55%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 12% outright, and 33% stays with people.
- 12% AI can do it
- 55% AI helps
- 33% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Lower than 50% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 23 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 3 of them today, speeds up 13 and leaves 7 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Complete daily activity reports and keep records of messages from aircraft. Message logs and reports can be drafted or transcribed by AI. | 80% AI can do it |
| Review records or reports for clarity and completeness and maintain records or reports, as required under federal law. Records review and completeness checks suit AI with human sign-off. | 78% AI can do it |
| Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations. Compiling flight data from structured sources suits AI well. | 75% AI can do it |
| Organize flight plans or traffic management plans to prepare for planes about to enter assigned airspace. AI can organize plan data; controllers review and approve. | 60% AI helps |
| Analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, or maps to determine air routes. Route analysis from weather and maps is well suited to AI. | 60% AI helps |
| Relay air traffic information, such as courses, altitudes, or expected arrival times, to control centers. Data relay can be automated through existing data links. | 55% AI helps |
| Conduct pre-flight briefings on weather conditions, suggested routes, altitudes, indications of turbulence, or other flight safety information. AI can draft briefing content; delivery and questions stay human. | 55% AI helps |
| Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties. Alert notifications can be automated; the call stays human. | 40% AI helps |
| Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights. Automated handoff systems exist; controller still accepts control. | 35% AI helps |
| Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information. Radio speech is live; AI can prepare the information content. | 35% AI helps |
Show the other 13 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Determine the timing or procedures for flight vector changes. Timing judgment is mostly human; AI can suggest options. | 35% AI helps |
| Initiate or coordinate searches for missing aircraft. AI can gather data and draft notices; coordination stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems. Live radio advisories; AI can draft weather summaries. | 30% AI helps |
| Check conditions and traffic at different altitudes in response to pilots' requests for altitude changes. Altitude checks use live displays and quick radio decisions. | 30% AI helps |
| Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references. Radar tools flag conflicts; controller watches and decides. | 25% AI helps |
| Provide on-the-job training to new air traffic controllers. Live supervision is human; AI can build training materials. | 25% AI helps |
| Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement. Live voice coordination with other facilities and centers. | 18% Needs a person |
| Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations. Emergency routing needs live judgment under time pressure. | 15% Needs a person |
| Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions. Live clearances are safety critical and legally accountable. | 12% Needs a person |
| Monitor or direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety. Live surveillance and directing; AI assists tracking only. | 12% Needs a person |
| Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land. Live runway and pattern instructions over radio. | 10% Needs a person |
| Direct ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance or baggage vehicles, or airport workers. Physical ground movements and live radio directions. | 8% Needs a person |
| Inspect, adjust, or control radio equipment or airport lights. Physical equipment work on radios and lights. | 5% Needs a person |
How air traffic controllers compare
All occupations (923)
Transportation and material moving (52)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $148,080 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 22,510 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +1.7% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Hold the FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist certification
- Issue live clearances and emergency reroutes over radio
- Run emergency reroute drills in flight simulation software
- Check AI-drafted activity reports in Microsoft Word before sign-off
- Analyze weather and fuel data for routes in Microsoft Excel
- Operate ATOP for oceanic flight data handoffs
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about air traffic controllers and AI
Will air traffic controllers be replaced by AI?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly completing daily activity reports and compiling flight data from flight plans and radar. Live clearances, runway direction and emergency routing stay with people because they are safety critical and legally accountable.
Will AI take over air traffic control?
AI can already do 12% of the task time in air traffic control and speeds up another 55%. People still do 33% of it. The US has 22,510 air traffic controller jobs, with a projected change of +1.7% from 2024 to 2034.
Which air traffic controller tasks is AI taking over?
Completing daily activity reports and logging aircraft messages leads, with an exposure score of 80. Records review for completeness, scored 78, and compiling flight data, scored 75, follow. These are structured tasks with fixed sources, so AI can draft them while a controller checks and signs off.
Which air traffic controller tasks stay with people?
Issuing landing and take-off authorizations stays human, with an exposure score of 12. Clearances are safety critical and legally accountable, so a person has to answer for each one. Directing pilots to runways and routing emergency landings, scored 10 and 15, also need live radio judgment under time pressure.
How can air traffic controllers stay valuable as AI spreads?
Hold the FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist certification and keep working live traffic as the core duty. Run emergency reroute drills in flight simulation software. Check AI-drafted activity reports and route analysis in Microsoft Excel and Word before signing off. Stay current on ATOP so flight data relayed to control centers stays accurate.
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