Air, Freight News, IT


IATA to explore AI potential in airfreight

[ March 12, 2026   //   ]

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched three initiatives to is advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in air cargo.

The association is launching an AI Subject Matter Expert (AI SME), a mobile and web-based application that helps operational teams quickly find information in IATA cargo and safety publications by asking questions in plain language and which provides accurate answers within seconds.

AI SME will be available initially for the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and the IATA Cargo Handling Manual but will be rolled out progressively across its suite of reference publications.

IATA is also setting up an Air Cargo AI Excellence Hub bringing together airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders, technology providers, and regulators to support the orderly integration of AI in air cargo. It will enable collaboration on best practices in areas such as governance and compliance, the sharing of experiences, and the development and deployment of standards.

Meanwhile, IATA and its strategic partners are exploring the potential for AI to improve the efficiency of interline air cargo. The parties will work together to develop a use case to enable airlines using different IT systems to collaborate in real time on bookings, disruptions, and cancellations by using AI agents to achieve system interoperability among users.

IATA’s global head of cargo, Brendan Sullivan, said: “The scope for AI to accelerate air cargo’s digital transformation is enormous. Together, these initiatives will help to make the most of AI’s potential with an industry adoption that is consistent, interoperable, and aligned with global aviation standards. Importantly, we will learn from these initiatives to identify additional areas where standards, technological innovation, and collaborative development can enable safer, smarter, and more efficient operations.”

Tags: