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Qantas is planning to scale AI usage “across the business” over the coming year, says CEO Vanessa Hudson.
Speaking to The Australian for its 2026 CEO Survey, Hudson said the Flying Kangaroo has been “laying the foundations” for increased use of AI, and that Australia needs to move quickly on the “unprecedented” opportunities it represents.
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It comes after the airline last month appointed former QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan as its first chief technology, AI and transformation officer.
“AI has the ability to unlock efficiencies that weren’t possible before, and will help us provide a better experience for customers and better support for our employees,” Hudson said.
“Despite all the doomsday scenarios about the impact on jobs, the reality is AI isn’t going to replace most jobs needed to operate an airline. For us, AI is about working smarter and delivering a better experience for customers, and providing the tools to set our employees up for success.
“There’s no doubt that as we implement more AI across the business that it’s going to change the way many of our teams work, just as email, computers and iPads have over the past few decades. From predictive maintenance to flight planning to HR functions, the opportunities are enormous.”
As an example, Hudson pointed to a trial run in concert with Brisbane Airport to improve aircraft turnaround times.
“Getting an aircraft ready for its next flight is a complex operation, with 50 tasks needed to be completed, often in sequence,” she said.
“Using cameras and AI, we can create a digital record of our operations in real time, helping us better understand the cause of delays.”
Qantas in November announced the development of a new “Product Innovation Centre” in Adelaide for its digital systems, including AI tools to “help when travel doesn’t go to plan”.
Backed by the South Australian government, the centre is set to open in March and is projected to create more than four hundred “high-skilled technology roles”.
The CBD centre will be where Qantas’ technology product development teams, product managers, digital designers, software engineers, and data and AI specialists will be located.
Rival Virgin Australia last year also announced a new partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into customer- and staff-facing operations.
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