# FAA launched new AI ‘SMART’ tool to all air route traffic control centers just days before nationwide ground stop

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/faa-launched-new-ai-smart-tool-to-all-air-route-traffic-control-centers-just-days-before-nationwide-ground-stop/
- Published: 2026-11-14T00:07:10+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/13/us-news/faa-launched-new-ai-smart-tool-to-all-air-route-traffic-control-centers-just-days-before-nationwide-ground-stop/
- Topics: AI, Americas, Technology, World

## Key points

- SMART reached all 22 FAA air route control centres three days before the ground stop.
- The system combines about 200 streams of aviation and weather data.
- The FAA cited extraordinary circumstances; a software upgrade was suggested as a possible cause.

## Summary

The FAA expanded its AI-supported air traffic tool, SMART, to all 22 of its air route traffic control centres on Tuesday, three days before a nationwide ground stop halted flights across the United States. The timing drew attention to the new system, although the FAA did not immediately connect it to the disruption.

SMART combines about 200 data streams, including flight paths, schedules and weather, to help identify airspace constraints and other issues. The FAA announced the stop at 4 p.m. on Friday, citing “extraordinary circumstances”; a source suggested a software upgrade may have contributed, but the cause was not confirmed.

## Coverage

- [New York Post: FAA launched new AI ‘SMART’ tool to all air route traffic control centers just days before nationwide ground stop](https://nypost.com/2026/11/13/us-news/faa-launched-new-ai-smart-tool-to-all-air-route-traffic-control-centers-just-days-before-nationwide-ground-stop/)
- [Daily Mail: President Trump is silent on nationwide ground stop 'crisis'... as he clears his weekend schedule and chooses to brag about his plan to 'save Hollywood' instead](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16291673/trump-faa-ground-stop-reaction.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.