At the ongoing International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Lima, Peru, IATA announced a bold new strategy leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive significant improvements across the global air cargo industry. The global aviation trade body outlined three targeted AI initiatives designed to enhance operational efficiency, strengthen safety and compliance, and accelerate innovation throughout the airfreight value chain.
The first initiative, AI Subject Matter Expert (AI SME), is a mobile and web application enabling air cargo operational teams to quickly and accurately retrieve critical information from IATA’s cargo and safety publications by asking questions in everyday language. Initially launching with access to the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) and the IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM), AI SME aims to support faster decision-making, improve regulatory compliance, and boost efficiency in time-sensitive environments. This tool will progressively expand to cover IATA’s full suite of reference materials.
IATA’s second initiative focuses on fostering collaboration through the Air Cargo AI Excellence Hub. This platform will unite airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders, technology providers, and regulators to facilitate the orderly integration of AI in air cargo. The Hub is set to establish best practices for governance, compliance, knowledge sharing, and standardisation, ensuring that AI adoption across the sector is coherent and effective.
The third initiative targets interline air cargo operations, where IATA and strategic partners are exploring AI-powered solutions to streamline coordination between airlines using disparate IT systems. By deploying AI agents, the initiative aims to enable real-time collaboration on bookings, disruption management, and cancellations, enhancing system interoperability and operational responsiveness. This project is part of IATA’s Data & Technology Proof of Concept (PoC) within its Strategic Partnerships Program.
Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s global head of cargo, emphasised the transformative potential of AI for the air cargo sector: “The scope for AI to accelerate air cargo’s digital transformation is enormous. Together, these initiatives will help maximise AI’s potential with an industry adoption that is consistent, interoperable, and aligned with global aviation standards.” He added, “We will also identify further opportunities where standards, innovation, and collaboration can drive safer, smarter, and more efficient operations.”
AI Supporting High-Value Technology Transport
Beyond operational improvements, AI also shapes the cargo itself. IATA’s recently published report on airfreight’s role in the 2025 global economy highlights air cargo’s critical function in transporting high-value, time-sensitive technology goods fueling the AI boom, including servers, data storage units, and memory chips.
Julia Seiermann, IATA’s head of industry analysis, noted, “The rapid increase in demand for AI-related goods in 2025 was met thanks to air cargo, allowing investment to translate into economic activity rather than being constrained by logistics.” She emphasised that as economies increasingly depend on high-value technology, air cargo will remain essential for timely delivery and economic growth.
