IBM said it has collaborated with Riyadh Air to set up the world’s first AI-native airline. Designed from the ground up without legacy patchwork, these AI-driven operations provide the foundation to transform guest and employee experiences.

Announcing the key milestone at IBM Think Riyadh 2025 event, IBM said designed from the ground up without legacy patchwork, these AI-driven operations provide the foundation to transform guest and employee experiences and set a new benchmark for innovation in the aviation industry.

Riyadh Air is leveraging IBM Consulting’s deep industry and technical expertise, broad partner ecosystem, and IBM watsonx Orchestrate to operate as an AI-native enterprise from day one, it stated. 

IBM Consulting served as the orchestrator behind this ambitious AI vision, bringing together 59 workstreams and more than 60 partners, including Adobe, Apple, FLYR, and Microsoft. 

Using IBM Consulting Advantage, its AI--powered delivery platform designed to accelerate value creation, 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.

"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," remarked Adam Boukadida, the Chief Financial Officer of 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," he noted.

According to him, Riyadh Air is reimagining how employees work and engage with travelers in the AI era. By infusing generative AI and agentic AI capabilities into workflows, the airline is creating a synchronized environment where people and technology deliver effortless travel, he stated.

Mohamad Ali, the Senior Vice President of IBM Consulting, said: "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."

"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," he added.-TradeArabia News Service