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The Federal Aviation Administration has been struggling to manage<\/a> an air traffic control shortage throughout the country. The reasons for the shortage are diverse<\/a>, but the government has made it known that it\u2019s on the lookout for innovative solutions to the problem.<\/p>\n One of those solutions appears to be an $875 million AI software program that is expected to help air traffic controllers manage their workflows and more safely navigate flight routes.<\/p>\n The Wall Street Journal reports<\/a> that the FAA will soon launch SMART, which stands for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories \u2014 an automated software program designed to help streamline air traffic operations.<\/p>\n A one-page readout<\/a> on the program describes SMART as \u201ca cloud-based platform system that enhances existing FAA air traffic management systems.\u201d It adds that the program uses AI to assess \u201cairline schedules, weather, airport capacity, airspace conditions, and operational constraints to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts before they occur.\u201d<\/p>\n SMART, the product of a firm called Air Space Intelligence, will cost the government that amount over a 12-year period, the outlet writes. The software will roll out in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area first before expanding to other regions, it says.<\/p>\n