With over 100,000 customers carried daily on more than 1,000 flights, Air France generates a vast amount of data. Optimizing the use of this data to enhance performance is a strategic priority for the airline, alongside a fundamental commitment to protecting the data of the company and its customers.
Air France’s focus on data is not new. In 1958, the airline established an operational research department to foster and structure innovation within the company, adapting to the technological advancements of an ever-evolving industry. Recognizing data as a valuable asset early on allowed the airline to better understand customer behavior. This laid the groundwork for the expansion of revenue management in the 1990s, utilizing historical data and trend identification.
In the early 2000s, the airline applied this data-driven approach to maintenance with the development of the predictive maintenance solution, Prognos. This tool, now used by over 80 airlines worldwide, marked Air France’s entry into the realm of predictive and prescriptive artificial intelligence.
Since then, AI has become integral to all Air France research and innovation programs, enhancing various stages of the customer journey. From chatbots to tools predicting the number of bags and meals on board, calculating water requirements, and eco-piloting systems that optimize flight trajectories to reduce fuel consumption, AI is employed to optimize operations and resources, anticipate needs, and facilitate staff access to job-relevant information. All these applications aim to improve the customer experience.
Since 2023, Air France has embarked on a new revolution centered around generative AI, a type of artificial intelligence capable of autonomously generating rich content. Unlike traditional AI, which focuses on specific tasks like data classification, generative AI creates new data and heavily relies on machine learning. In essence, this AI learns from and adapts to all interactions. Popularized by tools like ChatGPT, generative AI represents a significant technological breakthrough, opening up new possibilities for data utilization.
Today, over 80 projects leveraging generative artificial intelligence have been launched across all Air France business sectors. Some projects are still in the phase of identifying the most suitable solutions (such as data management models, predictive AI, and generative AI), while others have progressed to the Proof of Concept stage.
Here are four examples showcasing Air France’s advancements in AI:
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TALIA:
Air France’s internal ChatGPT, designed for employees to learn how to use this tool in a secure environment, ensuring no information is shared with third parties. TALIA is utilized daily by Air France employees for tasks such as writing emails, searching for information in PDF documents, organizing events, and creating to-do lists.–
PAMELIA:
A solution enabling Air France airport agents to answer customers’ queries directly on their iPads. It covers topics like baggage allowances, live animal transport, and travel formalities. PAMELIA searches for answers in the airline’s reference manuals and procedure documentation, generating a written response ready to be shared with the customer. This response can be instantly translated into 85 languages. Currently in the test phase, PAMELIA will be deployed at Paris-Charles de Gaulle in 2025.–
CHARLIE:
A tool for the airline’s maintenance teams to search for aircraft part numbers in the airline and manufacturers’ documentation. This tool saves valuable time when repairing or replacing parts, thus contributing to flight punctuality.–
FOX:
A tool for analyzing customer feedback to better understand their expectations and concerns. Using generative AI, FOX can automatically analyze customer feedback, capturing the essence of diverse and complex texts, including those with humor or irony. This tool can also detect weak signals and share feedback across different company entities.Air France’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI) is guided by several principles that are updated regularly to align with technological advancements:
