Lawmakers press for independent audit of FAA's AI air traffic tools
Nearly two dozen Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asked the Government Accountability Office to audit the FAA's development and use of AI-enabled air traffic control tools. In a letter led by Reps. Rick Larsen and André Carson, lawmakers cited concerns about the reliability and safety benefits of the systems. The request comes as the FAA pursues a broader modernization effort, including a 12-year, $875 million contract with Air Space Intelligence for new airspace management tools.
Nearly two dozen House Transportation and Infrastructure Democrats, led by Reps. Rick Larsen and André Carson, asked GAO to review the FAA’s AI-enabled air traffic control development. They questioned whether such tools are dependable and improve safety, especially after SMART’s Washington-area launch without controller input.
The FAA’s modernization push, introduced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in May 2025 after fatal accidents, includes a 12-year, $875 million Air Space Intelligence contract. SMART and FMDS would replace or enhance traffic-flow management; SMART merges about 200 data feeds. It began monitoring D.C. airspace on Sept. 21.
The requested audit could affect how quickly and transparently AI tools enter U.S. airspace management. Travelers, pilots, air traffic controllers, airlines, and regulators may feel the consequences if reliability concerns delay deployment or prompt new safeguards. Greater scrutiny might also influence public confidence in automated safety systems and set expectations for how federal agencies test, document, and oversee emerging technologies before wider use.