• The FAA is launching an AI project to manage air traffic.
• The project, called SMART, aims to reduce flight delays and ease controller workloads.
• SMART will not replace human controllers in making safety-critical decisions.
• Three vendors, including Thales and Air Space Intelligence, are working on the project.

The FAA's AI initiative may signal a shift towards more proactive air traffic management, which could reduce delays and improve safety. The project's focus on organizing airspace demand and capacity suggests a potential for increased efficiency and reduced controller workload, which could have significant implications for the aviation industry.