Photo: Alexander Kazakov / Kommersant
The integration of an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered pilot assistance system into aircraft is anticipated within the next few years. This significant development was announced by Andrey Dutov, General Director of the N. E. Zhukovsky Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, as reported by TASS.
Dutov further explained that the program currently under development at his institute is aptly named the “AI Second Pilot.” He characterized its fundamental role as the “moderation of all emerging dangers” during flight operations. “This represents a critical and current objective. I am confident that such a solution will be available within 2-3 years, and crucially, it will be capable of integration even into existing aviation systems,” Dutov stated at the “Technoprom-2025” forum held in Novosibirsk.
The General Director also underscored that the adoption of AI-based technologies would profoundly simplify the process for pilots to accurately interpret and evaluate the extensive volume of data they receive, thereby enhancing both safety and operational efficiency in aviation.
In a related development, The National Interest magazine reported in its March issue that the F-47, a new-generation fighter aircraft currently being developed under the Next-Generation Air Dominance program, might potentially mark the last piloted combat aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. This observation highlights a broader global trend towards increased automation and AI integration within military and civilian aviation sectors.
Rupert Blackwood 
Barnaby Whitfield