Bringing AI to the Cabin: The Impact on Flight Operations and Efficiency
Bringing AI to the Cabin: The Impact on Flight Operations and Efficiency
With the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projecting that nearly 8.2 billion passengers will fly annually by 2037, the aviation industry has a tremendous opportunity to leverage AI to meet growing demand. Bringing its aircraft-as-a-platform vision to life, Airbus is enhancing onboard connectivity and exploring next-generation digital services for its open software platform (OSP) to benefit both its customers - airlines, and their customers - passengers.
At the core of this exploration work is Acubed’s Connected Airsights, harnessing the power of AI to transform air travel into a seamless, connected experience both on and offline. By delivering innovative, personalized services that cater to passengers’ digital preferences, airlines can improve flight operations while enhancing customer satisfaction and fostering loyalty. In today’s competitive market, it’s essential to improve both operational efficiency and the passenger experience for long-term success.
Turn Cost Centers into Profit Opportunities
As consumer expectations evolve, airlines must adapt to deliver more meaningful in-flight experiences–similar to the convenience passengers enjoy at home. Take last year’s addition of the Apple Vision Pro headset on Dubai-based carrier Beyond–it’s a clear example of how technology is shaping new opportunities for personalization.
Acubed’s AI-powered solutions go far beyond movie recommendations or seat preferences. The personalization engine and AI Assistant are designed to link services across the entire flight experience, connecting devices and airlines to provide tailored, dynamic interactions. By tapping into real-time consumer preferences, in-flight entertainment is transformed from a cost center into a revenue generator for airlines while delivering smoother operations.
Overcoming Challenges to Bring AI Onboard
To improve operational efficiency, AI must address key challenges unique to the in-flight environment. With limited onboard compute capabilities, these solutions must be highly efficient and embeddable to ensure functionality for all passengers, regardless of device or connectivity status. Additionally, AI must be multi-modal, spanning the variety of services airlines offer—from meal service and retail to downtime entertainment—while understanding the context of each flight stage.
Connected Future
As travel evolves, AI will be the cornerstone of elevating the in-flight experience with increasingly personalized content and services. Concurrently, enhanced connectivity is gaining momentum with the new generation of low earth orbit constellations providing high bandwidth internet and worldwide coverage. Both technologies are on a trajectory to become the gold standard across airlines in the next decade. Acubed is eagerly pushing in that direction, addressing these challenges by exploring multi-modal AI solutions that adapt to varying levels of connectivity, onboard constraints and passenger needs.
By enabling smarter, connected and highly personalized experiences, AI doesn’t just drive operational efficiency and unlock new revenue opportunities for airlines - it will enhance customer satisfaction by providing services that passengers want, when they need it. It's about understanding the context of a passenger's journey, and bringing comfort and convenience to it through relevant content and connected services. The future of air travel is here, and with AI in the cabin, it’s more efficient, intuitive and passenger-centric than ever before.
Are you interested in joining the Acubed team? Check out our job postings here.