Announced at the IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) currently under way in Lima, Peru, the global aviation trade body has said that it is now utilising the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to support improvements in air cargo through three specific initiatives.
These initiatives are, in combination, intended to improve operational efficiency, strengthen safety and compliance, and accelerate innovation across the global airfreight value chain.
The first AI-based initiative relates to making IATA publications more valuable and user-friendly.
Specifically, IATA is launching AI Subject Matter Expert (AI SME), a mobile and web-based application that is designed to help operational teams quickly find information in IATA cargo and safety publications by asking questions in everyday language.
The tool provides accurate answers within seconds, thereby supporting faster operational decision-making, strengthening compliance and improving efficiency in time-critical environments.
AI SME will be available initially for the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) and the IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM) but will then be rolled out progressively across IATA’s suite of reference publications.
Second, IATA is intending to facilitate collaboration in airfreight through the launch of an Air Cargo AI Excellence Hub.
This will bring together airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders, technology providers and regulators to support what IATA said would be “the orderly integration of AI in air cargo”.
The Hub will enable collaboration on best practices in areas such as governance and compliance, the sharing of experiences, and the development and deployment of standards.
Finally, as it attempts to improve interline air cargo procedures, IATA and its strategic partners are exploring the potential for AI to achieve efficiencies in interlining.
The parties will work together with the aim of developing 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.
This initiative also forms part of the Data & Technology Proof of Concept (PoC) area within IATA’s Strategic Partnerships Program.
Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s global head of cargo, advised: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Supporting high tech
AI is an enabler for efficiency and speed in air cargo, but also represents an important component of the physical mix of airfreight transported around the world – and more so than ever today.
One of the key findings of the IATA report that was released earlier this week at WCS considering the role of airfreight in the global economy in 2025 is that, last year, air cargo served to “efficiently and reliably deliver” high-value, time-sensitive equipment such as servers, data storage units and memory chips, supporting the ongoing AI boom.
And as IATA’s head of 8ndustry analysis, Julia Seiermann, explained: “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.
“As economies increasingly and strategically rely on high-value technology goods, air cargo will continue to play a critical role in ensuring their timely delivery,”
