GoKawiilEx-controller warns FAA's new AI tool SMART risks hallucinating flight data
Todd Sheridan Yeary, a 13-year air traffic control veteran, publicly criticized the FAA's planned AI system SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories), saying its intended use—predictive versus prescriptive—remains unclear even to aviation professionals. He said his top concern is that the AI could 'hallucinate' inaccurate data, and insisted any deployment must allow human controllers to override its outputs.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Because air traffic control operates in a constantly shifting environment, an AI tool that generates unverified or outdated data could introduce new failure modes rather than reduce human error, according to Yeary. His comments suggest that basic governance questions—what data feeds the system and who can override it—remain unresolved just as the tool nears a soft launch, which could raise safety and oversight concerns for regulators and the public.
- Former air traffic controller Todd Sheridan Yeary raised alarms about the FAA's new AI system SMART.
- His central worry is 'hallucination'—the AI producing inaccurate or unverified data in a fast-changing environment.
- He argues human controllers must retain override authority before SMART's planned rollout proceeds.
Source: futurism.com — Joe Wilkins, 2026-09-22
Published there as: “Former Air Traffic Controller Terrified New AI System Will Hallucinate and Cause Catastrophe”
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