P I L O TS VS A I Spot the autopilot Put your knowledge to the test with this pilot vs AI quiz By Captain Jeremy Feldman and BALPAs resident automaton T he rapid growth and expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be moving into all faculties of life. From autonomous vacuuming robots navigating your house, to autonomous and self-driving cars and entirely AI-generated videos and images, AI looks as if it is here to stay. So, what about the aviation industry? It may be a fair argument to suggest that, when it comes to airline management, any form of intelligence (even if it is artificial) might be an improvement. But will AI come aboard our aircraft and, if it does, how will it affect the role of pilots? An autopilot, as we are well aware, can fly an aircraft more accurately and smoothly than a pilot, but wont get distracted and doesnt get tired. AI would take a more hidden approach, where the AI would be responsible for decision-making skills that are for now the responsibility of pilots and, ultimately, the commander. Of course, the aircraft manufacturers would argue that AI integration can help pilots manage their workload, enhance situational awareness, and come to better and more reasoned decisions. So we, at The Log, decided to put AI to the test. Below are three examples of real-world scenarios that pilots may have to manage. There are two answers: one generated entirely by AI chatbot and virtual assistant ChatGPT and one by a pilot but can you guess which is which? 20 THE LOG Sum 24 pp20-23 AI Spot the Autopilot.indd 20 13/06/2024 12:56