IBM touts progress on tech stack for AI-enabled airline with no passengers or alcohol

IBM and Riyadh Air have upgraded their contracted agreement, meaning the Saudi operation will not be the world's first digitally native airline, but will instead be the first AI native operator.

Riyadh Air first drafted in Big Blue as its consulting partner two years ago, at which point the firm was styling itself a "digitally native airline." IBM was tasked with creating its digital and tech strategy. That deal was extended to cover passenger services back in early 2024.

The veteran tech firm and the startup revealed the "AI native" moniker today, talking up how IBM-built "AI powered operations [will] create agility across the business and unify employee and guest experiences, setting a new benchmark for innovation in the aviation industry."

These will be built, using IBM Consulting brain power, on watsonx Orchestrate, "bringing together 59 workstreams and more than 60 partners, including Adobe, Apple, FLYR, and Microsoft."

The ...