FAA Halts All US Flights in First Nationwide Ground Stop Since 2023, Days After SMART AI Rollout

The FAA halted flights nationwide on Friday, its first full ground stop since January 2023, days after expanding its SMART AI air traffic tool across the country. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed a communication issue at all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, while Homeland Security's Markwayne Mullin said of SMART, "We're looking at that." The tool's maker, Air Space Intelligence, says the stop "is not based on or a result of the SMART system."

Why it matters: Government scrutiny of AI tools in safety-critical infrastructure is likely to intensify, so teams deploying AI in operational systems should expect tougher questions about failure modes, attribution, and incident reporting.