Riyadh Air and IBM Announce Partnership to Launch the World’s First AI-Native Airline

International

AI-driven operations will underpin guest and employee experience and set a new benchmark for digital transformation in global aviation

Riyadh Air and IBM have unveiled a milestone in their three-year collaboration, presenting the new Saudi airline as the world’s first carrier built entirely on an AI-native foundation. The announcement, made during IBM Think Riyadh 2025, highlights a technology strategy designed without legacy systems and built to transform operational agility, customer care and workforce experience as the airline prepares for commercial launch in early 2026.

An Airline Built on AI from Day One

Riyadh Air is using IBM Consulting’s industry knowledge, technical capabilities and partner ecosystem, alongside IBM watsonx Orchestrate, to operate as an AI-native enterprise. IBM coordinated 59 workstreams and more than 60 partners, including Adobe, Apple, FLYR and Microsoft, to deliver the airline’s end-to-end digital architecture. The new platform is intended to support fast, scalable innovation as the carrier enters service.

“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, Riyadh Air. “With IBM, we've stripped out fifty 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.”

“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, Senior Vice President, 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.”

Transforming Employee and Guest Experience

The digital framework integrates generative and agentic AI to streamline internal workflows and enhance customer interactions. Employees will access a personalized, AI-powered workplace with a unified chat-based entry point to HR and self-service tools, supporting the airline as it plans to double its workforce within a year. AI-driven mobile applications will enable crew to respond proactively to guest needs, aided by context-aware recommendations generated by watsonx Orchestrate. In customer service, AI-enabled voice bots and agent-assist tools will help tailor support using real-time contextual data.

Efficiency and Performance Driven by AI

Starting without legacy constraints, Riyadh Air is embedding AI across commercial, operational and financial processes. IBM Consulting has implemented an enterprise performance management suite to unify data sources and automate budgeting, forecasting and analytics, enabling real-time decision-making. The system strengthens route optimization, revenue performance and overall operational efficiency.

A Digital Foundation for Future Growth

The partnership aims to equip Riyadh Air with the strategic and technological capabilities required to support its long-term vision of connecting Saudi Arabia to more than 100 destinations and serving millions of travellers by 2030. The AI-native approach provides the structural flexibility for continuous innovation as the airline scales.