Riyadh Air & IBM launch “world’s first” AI-native airline

PEX Network’s key takeaways:

• Riyadh Air is leveraging IBM Consulting’s expertise, broad partner ecosystem, and IBM watsonx Orchestrate to operate as an artificial intelligence (AI) native enterprise.
• Riyadh Air is reimagining how employees work and engage with travelers in the AI era.
• Riyadh Air is ensuring it is “built for the future” and creating a pathway for airlines to follow in the years to come.

Riyadh Air and IBM marked a significant milestone in their partnership, introducing Riyadh Air as the “world’s first” fully AI-native airline.

Built from the ground up without legacy constraints, Riyadh Air’s AI-driven operations are designed to elevate both guest and employee experiences, establishing a new standard for innovation across the aviation industry, according to the announcement.

IBM Consulting served as the orchestrator behind the ambitious AI vision, bringing together 59 workstreams and more than 60 partners including Adobe, Apple, FLYR, and Microsoft. Using IBM Consulting Advantage, IBM consultants were able to help provide seamless execution of the airline’s end-to-end technology strategy.

With initial flights underway and its first commercial service expected in early 2026, the three‑year collaboration between Riyadh Air and IBM has reached a pivotal moment.

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AI-driven innovation across operations

Beginning with a completely blank digital slate, the airline is using AI to create new revenue opportunities and reinvest in innovation across its operations, stated a press release.

IBM Consulting implemented an enterprise performance management suite to bring together financial, operational, and commercial data across the organization, automating planning, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis to deliver real time insights and support data driven decision making.

By building this integrated foundation, Riyadh Air is enhancing its efficiency, optimizing route profitability, and strengthening overall business performance.

Together, IBM and Riyadh Air have built an AI‑native enterprise with the digital strategy, architecture, and operating models needed for the airline to achieve its ambition of transforming aviation and expanding the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s connectivity to more than 100 destinations, serving millions of travelers by 2030.

“We had a clear choice – be the last airline built on legacy technology or the first built on the platforms that will define the next decade of aviation,” said Adam Boukadida, chief financial officer at Riyadh Air. “With IBM, we’ve stripped out 50 years of legacy in a single stroke. Riyadh Air isn’t just built for today; it’s built for the future and creating a pathway for many airlines to follow in the years to come.”

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Riyadh Air becomes an AI-native airline

Riyadh Air is also reimagining how employees work and engage with travelers in the AI era. Infusing generative AI and agentic AI capabilities into workflows, the airline is creating a synchronized environment where people and technology deliver effortless travel.

• Employee experience: Riyadh Air will launch a personalized digital workplace supported by AI agents, giving employees a single, chat-first entry point to HR. The platform will streamline workflows and accelerate essential self-service functions for both employees and managers as the airline prepares to double its workforce over the next 12 months.
• Crew enablement: AI-powered mobile tools will create a seamless, connected experience for both employees and guests. Using IBM watsonx Orchestrate, Riyadh Air will develop an agentic AI concierge that is trustworthy, proactive, context-aware, and capable of recommending next-best actions tailored to each employee persona.
• Customer care: With a digital-first approach grounded in human values, AI-enabled voice bots and agent-assist tools will help customer care teams provide attentive, personalized support. By leveraging contextual data to anticipate traveler needs, these systems will elevate the overall customer experience.

“By embedding AI into the very foundation of its operations, Riyadh Air is setting a new blueprint for what it means to build a modern, adaptive enterprise from the ground up,” said Mohamad Ali, SVP at IBM Consulting. “As a company born in the AI era, Riyadh Air is redefining what’s possible in aviation and it’s been a privilege for IBM to help make that vision a reality.”

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