Airports are evolving rapidly, with increasing demands for smarter, faster, and more adaptive approaches to safety and AI in airside training. Managing the training and compliance of thousands of airside personnel across multiple organisations is no easy task. Enter artificial intelligence.
At the June 2025 AIRDAT Airport Community Forum, Chief Operating Officer Chris Harvey unveiled how AI is reshaping airside safety training, highlighting its role in delivering personalised, immersive and data-driven experiences that address the complex realities of airport operations.
AI-led innovation in airside safety training
Delivering consistent and effective safety training across complex airport environments is an ongoing challenge. Traditional classroom and eLearning methods often fall short when it comes to preparing staff for high-risk, fast-paced operational settings. AI is helping fill these gaps.
Chris Harvey outlined several key areas where AI is driving meaningful change:
• Personalised learning: Adaptive content tailored to each role, pace, and experience.
• VR simulations: Safe virtual spaces simulating real hazards and procedures.
• Predictive analytics: Identifying knowledge gaps before compliance issues arise.
• NLP tools: AI chatbots delivering 24/7 safety support.
Together, these technologies are shaping a smarter, more agile training ecosystem, one that supports trainers with real-time insight while enhancing the experience and preparedness of personnel on the ground.
Looking ahead: AI-driven innovation on the horizon
Chris Harvey affirmed, “AI isn’t replacing trainers, it’s augmenting them.” It is not a matter of substitution, but rather of enabling trainers to dedicate more time to mentoring, supported by intelligent feedback mechanisms.
Future-facing technologies already under exploration include:
• Wearables for fatigue monitoring: Providing real-time data on workforce wellbeing to reduce safety risks and support proactive health measures.
• AI-powered assessments for airfield risk training: Enabling dynamic, scenario-based evaluations that better prepare teams for high-risk environments.
• Live airport data integration into driver simulations: Allowing airside drivers to train in conditions that mirror real-time airport activity, improving decision-making and responsiveness.
These emerging innovations represent a shift toward more intelligent, more personalised, and more effective training solutions that reflect the complexity and urgency of modern airport operations.
The Final Word: Intelligent training for smarter airports
Managing airside training and compliance across thousands of stakeholders is a complex and ever-changing task. AI is stepping in, not as a replacement, but as an ally, helping trainers focus on what matters most while automating and enhancing key processes. From adaptive learning pathways and immersive simulations to proactive compliance alerts and real-time support tools, artificial intelligence is transforming the way airports train.