Riyadh Air and IBM have announced that the Saudi carrier has become the world’s first “AI-native airline,” with artificial intelligence embedded across every part of its operations from day one.

The announcement, made at IBM Think Riyadh 2025, marks a major milestone in a three-year collaboration to build the airline’s digital architecture ahead of its commercial launch in early 2026.

Designed without any legacy systems, Riyadh Air is building its entire operating model on AI-driven platforms. IBM Consulting has led 59 workstreams and coordinated more than 60 technology partners, including Adobe, Apple, FLYR and Microsoft, using its AI-powered delivery platform, IBM Consulting Advantage. The airline is also deploying IBM watsonx Orchestrate to connect processes and support core functions.

“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, Riyadh Air’s Chief Financial Officer, adding that the collaboration with IBM “stripped out fifty years of legacy in a single stroke.”

Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President at IBM Consulting, described the project as establishing “a new blueprint for what it means to build a modern, adaptive enterprise from the ground up.”

Riyadh Air plans to integrate generative and agentic AI across its operations to enhance both employee and customer interactions. A unified, chat-based digital workplace will streamline staff access to internal tools, while AI-enabled applications will support cabin and ground crews with context-aware recommendations. In customer service, AI-powered voice bots and agent-assist tools will provide more personalized support using real-time data.

The airline is also adopting an enterprise performance management system developed with IBM to unify financial, commercial and operational data. Automating planning and forecasting will deliver real-time insights into route profitability and overall performance, allowing the airline to reinvest in innovation as it scales.

IBM and Riyadh Air say that establishing the carrier as an AI-native enterprise from the start creates a structural advantage, enabling rapid expansion and the seamless adoption of new technologies without the constraints faced by legacy operators.