Air Traffic Controllers
Official O*NET title: Air Traffic Controllers (53-2021.00)
Also called: atcs, center atc, certified professional controller, developmental air traffic controller, developmental atcs
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing air traffic controllers work
2 of 20 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Green (little AI use yet) — 10%. 1 newer task is not in the data yet and left out.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, or maps to determine air routes (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor, direct, or sequence the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety (main task) — too new for the AI data
- Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Determine the timing or procedures for flight vector changes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Check conditions and traffic at different altitudes in response to pilots' requests for altitude changes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Start or coordinate searches for missing aircraft (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide on-the-job training to new air traffic controllers (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Organize flight plans or traffic management plans to prepare for planes about to enter assigned airspace (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Relay air traffic information (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Conduct pre-flight briefings on weather conditions, suggested routes, altitudes, indications of turbulence, or other flight safety information (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Inspect, adjust, or control radio equipment or airport lights (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Complete daily activity reports and keep records of messages from aircraft (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Direct ground traffic — no recorded AI use
- Review records or reports for clarity and completeness and maintain records or reports, as required under federal law — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations”. Try the prompt for: “Analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, or maps to determine air routes”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and air traffic controllers
Will AI replace air traffic controllers?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 2 of the 21 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Green rating (little AI use yet). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 20 of the 23 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which air traffic controller tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations; analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, or maps to determine air routes.
Which air traffic controller tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions; monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references; alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 60% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a air traffic controller start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Air Traffic Controllers ranks #464 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #10 of 18 in Transport & Marine.
Related jobs
- Will AI change airfield operations specialists?
- Will AI change flight attendants?
- Will AI change delivery drivers (route sales)?
- Will AI change truck drivers?
- Will AI change delivery and van drivers?
- Will AI change school bus drivers?
- Will AI change train conductors?
- Will AI change traffic technicians?
- Will AI change locomotive engineers?
- Will AI change dispatchers?
- See all jobs