Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Airline Pilots and more:
61.7%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
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Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Med
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
Most data sources align, with only minor variation. This is a well-supported result.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forAirline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
$226,600 median salary•11,700 annual openings•SOC Code: 53-2011.00
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.
Airline pilots are holding up really well against AI because the most critical parts of their job, like making split-second decisions in emergencies and handling unexpected situations, are exactly the tasks that are hardest to automate. Right now, AI is being used more as a helpful tool behind the scenes (think scheduling, maintenance planning, and fuel optimization) rather than taking over the cockpit.
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Airline pilots are holding up really well against AI because the most critical parts of their job, like making split-second decisions in emergencies and handling unexpected situations, are exactly the tasks that are hardest to automate. Right now, AI is being used more as a helpful tool behind the scenes (think scheduling, maintenance planning, and fuel optimization) rather than taking over the cockpit.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Airline Pilots and more
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Airline Pilots and more jobs?
If you're worried that AI is about to fly planes by itself, here's some calming news: today's AI in aviation is mostly an assistant, not a replacement. According to Chad Kendall, an aviation professor interviewed by MSU Denver, AI is entering aviation as a support tool, not a replacement for pilots, and right now AI is mostly applied behind the scenes in operational areas, not directly in the cockpit. Airlines mainly use it for crew scheduling, maintenance planning and analyzing performance data, plus predictive-maintenance modeling, fatigue prediction, and fuel and weather planning by analyzing massive datasets in real time.
New training tools also use AI; one trade publication describes a shift toward AI-powered debriefing, VR preparation tools and data-driven assessment reshaping how pilots are prepared for the cockpit. Even cutting-edge "AI copilot" research is happening, but human pilots still make the final calls and handle the rare, scary emergencies — exactly the tasks O*NET shows have the lowest automation potential.
How fast is AI adoption growing for Airline Pilots and more?
AI adoption in commercial cockpits is moving slowly on purpose. A 2026 industry analysis notes that aviation does not adopt technology at the same speed it is developed, because operations involve multiple stakeholders, countries, and regulatory environments, so a small change scales in complexity, benefits, and risks. Regulators agree: in 2025 EASA paused single-pilot rulemaking [1], saying even the most modern airliner flight decks aren't smart enough to act as pilots, and flight decks must first have systems for workload management, pilot health monitoring, security threat awareness and autonomous safety backups.
Pilot unions also push back hard; ALPA reports [2] that talk of an A350 flying with a reduced crew by 2026 has stalled after sustained advocacy, and a 2026 U.S. law now requires [3] at least two qualified pilots on the flight deck of all U.S. commercial airline flights. With pilot shortages keeping wages high and public trust still leaning on human judgment, expect AI to keep augmenting — not replacing — the humans up front.
Sources
Will AI replace Airline Pilots and more?
No. We don't think AI will replace Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, though we do expect the job to change.
That's the thinking behind our 61.7% AI Resilience Score for this career. Right now, AI in aviation mostly works behind the scenes, handling crew scheduling, maintenance planning, fuel optimization, and fatigue prediction. It's a support role, not a cockpit takeover. New AI-powered training tools are also reshaping how pilots prepare, but humans still make the final calls, especially in the rare, high-stakes emergencies that matter most.
The regulatory picture backs this up. In 2025, EASA paused single-pilot rulemaking, saying modern flight decks still aren't equipped to act as pilots [1]. Pilot unions have pushed back hard on crew reduction proposals, and a 2026 U.S. law now requires at least two qualified pilots on every commercial flight [3]. ALPA has reported that plans to fly certain aircraft with reduced crews have stalled after sustained advocacy [2].
Aviation moves slowly on purpose. The complexity of regulations, international coordination, and public safety means new technology takes years to scale. That deliberate pace, combined with ongoing pilot shortages and strong public trust in human judgment, gives people entering this field real reason for confidence.
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Latest AI news for Airline Pilots and more
These articles highlight the transformative role of AI in aviation, crucial for aspiring airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers. The US Air Force and Stanford's AI co-pilot study shows how AI can enhance cockpit decision-making during emergencies, indicating that future pilots may work alongside intelligent systems. Additionally, MIT's Air-Guardian technology aims to reduce human error by monitoring pilot focus, reinforcing the importance of adaptable skills. Embracing AI resilience will be key, as the industry evolves towards safer, more efficient flight operations.
US Air Force and Stanford test AI co-pilot in real flight emergencies
aerospaceglobalnews.com • 1/28/2026
Stanford and the US Air Force pilots have flown an AI co-pilot to assess how it supports cockpit decision-making during flight emergencies.
Impact of automation, AI, and emerging technologies on aviation career
www.aerotime.aero • 1/30/2025
The development of new technologies in aviation has become inevitable; this brings the need to develop new skills for professionals in the...
AI copilot enhances human precision for safer aviation
news.mit.edu • 10/3/2023
MIT CSAIL's Air-Guardian merges human and AI attention in aviation, enhancing safety by intervening during lapses in human pilot focus.
Brace yourselves: AI could co-pilot planes, reveals Emirates Airline president
interestingengineering.com • 5/4/2023
“Artificial intelligence is set to have a big impact on the aviation industry, with one-pilot planes a possibility,” according to Emirates President Tim Clark.
What do pilots think of having more AI in the cockpit?
pursuit.unimelb.edu.au • 6/25/2021
Pilots want to explore technology like cockpit digital voice assistants but pilots need to be central to any new systems, say University of...
More Career Info
Career: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
They fly planes by operating controls, ensuring safety, and navigating routes to get passengers and cargo to their destinations.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$226,600
Jobs (2024)
100,000
Growth (2024-34)
+3.9%
Annual Openings
11,700
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
2
Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
3
Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
4
Plan and formulate flight activities and test schedules and prepare flight evaluation reports.
5
Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities.
6
Evaluate other pilots or pilot-license applicants for proficiency.
7
Load smaller aircraft, handling passenger luggage and supervising refueling.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
