AI small step to FAA, but…?
Predictive analytics constitute one of Artificial Intelligence’s greatest additions to statistics. The ability to convert past data records into future risks is an essential element to the FAA’s SMS regimen– both its capacity to accumulate greater numbers of accidents and incidents as well as its enhanced capabilities to project problems before they occur.
That said, for much of its history the FAA has been most comfortable with recent hard data. Retrospective perspective is thought to be more reliable, i.e. safer, than forward estimations, speculative??? SMS compels a change to greater reliance on forecasting, but there are lingering strains of reluctance.
The FAA’s slow progression to the greater computational powers of AI is shown by these past reports:
- FAA RFI for AI integration of Safety Data Sources with Predictive tools July 24, 2024
- FAA’s ROADMAP for the unknowable AI future September 5, 2024
FEDSCOOP’s hawkeye team found in the USASpending site that the FAA has spent $80,000 to buy Azure OpenAI. This Microsoft system provides access to several of the AI companies’ models, including GPT 3.5-Turbo, GPT 4.0, as well as tools like Whisper and Dall-E. Before this acquisition, the FAA professed not to be using ChatGTP and expressed an interest in AI only to write code for its ATC programming.
According to CoPilot AI, these tools could:
GPT-3.5 Turbo and GPT-4.0
These language models excel at understanding and generating natural language, making them valuable for:
- Air Traffic Management: Assisting controllers by analyzing and summarizing complex data or providing real-time decision support.
- Training and Simulation: Creating realistic scenarios for pilot and controller training, including generating dynamic dialogues or emergency situations.
- Regulatory Compliance: Simplifying the drafting and review of regulations, policies, and technical documentation.
- Customer Support: Automating responses to inquiries from airlines, pilots, and passengers.
Whisper
Whisper is a speech-to-text model that could be used for:
- Voice Transcription: Converting air traffic communications into text for analysis, record-keeping, or training purposes.
- Language Translation: Translating communications in multilingual airspaces to ensure clarity and safety.
- Real-Time Assistance: Supporting controllers or pilots by transcribing and analyzing spoken instructions or reports.
DALL-E
DALL-E, an image-generation tool, could support:
- Visual Training Materials: Creating custom illustrations or diagrams for training pilots, controllers, or maintenance crews.
- Incident Analysis: Generating visual reconstructions of incidents for investigation or educational purposes.
- Public Outreach: Designing engaging visuals for FAA campaigns or educational content.
By integrating these tools, the FAA could enhance its operations, improve safety measures, and streamline processes.
These are small steps in the AI progression, especially when the price is only $80,00, but any introduction of this new technology, for which there is both GREAT POTENTIAL and UNKNOWN RISKS, merits close attention.
FAA has an agreement for OpenAI technology
The aviation agency has an $80,000 award for “Azure OpenAI CDO,” per USASpending.
March 5, 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) building is seen at 600 Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP).
The Federal Aviation Administration APPEARS TO HAVE purchased OPENAI TECHNOLOGY, according to a delivery order listed on a public repository of U.S. government spending records.
The work, which started last March, is scheduled to end this August, but other details aren’t clear. The agreement simply states “AZURE OPENAI CDO,” likely referencing the OpenAI technology available through Microsoft’s Azure cloud program, which is how the AI company has typically provided its technology to federal customers. The current award amount is just over $80,000, according to the USASpending site.
According to a Microsoft website, Azure OpenAI provides access to several of the AI companies’ models, including GPT 3.5-Turbo, GPT 4.0, as well as tools like Whisper and Dall-E.
OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft has been critical in helping the company bring its large language models to government users: Through Azure cloud, GPT-4o is now cleared for top-secret use, which means the intelligence community can access the technology. Last August, Azure OpenAI received FedRAMP High authorization.
The FAA hasn’t responded to FedScoop after nearly a month of inquiries about the business.
OpenAI and Microsoft did not provide a comment, nor did General Dynamics Information Technology, which is named on the USASpending listing. It’s not clear why GDIT is involved, but external companies often help the government with integrating technology packages. NASA, the National Gallery of Art, and USAID, have all accessed OpenAI technology through other firms.
THE FAA HAS EXPRESSED CAUTIOUS INTEREST IN GENERATIVE AI. An October 2024 research plan released by the agency describes beginning work to “research the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) (such as ChatGPT) in the development and verification of safety-critical software.”
That commitment seems to show a new attitude toward the technology. IN JULY 2023, THE FAA SAID THAT IT DID NOT USE CHATGPT IN ANY OF ITS SYSTEMS after previously disclosing in its AI use case inventory that its air traffic organization was interested in using the technology for “code writing assistance.” After FedScoop asked why the technology was listed in the agency’s AI disclosure, the FAA removed it and said the entry was made in error.
The aviation agency has also said that it has used an LLM to answer questions about aviation incident safety reports. MITRE, the federally funded public interest research nonprofit, had also briefly looked at ChatGPT technology while conducting research on transcription tools for the FAA, FedScoop reported last year.
IT’S POSSIBLE THAT THE FAA COULD INCORPORATE MORE GENERATIVE AI AS IT PURSUES IT MODERNIZATION EFFORTS AND AMID ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT THE STATE OF AIR TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY.
OpenAI remains interested in selling to the federal government. The agency recently released ChatGPT Gov, which allows federal agencies to self-host the technology. OpenAI is also pursuing FedRAMP authorization of its own, which would allow the company to work with government customers with the help of Microsoft.
This story was supported by the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism.
