Some of the new technology is aimed at easing language difficulties. Kennedy International Airport in New York recently installed three A.I.-based real-time translation devices from Google at information stations around the airport. Travelers choose their language from a counter-mounted screen and ask their questions aloud to the device. The device repeats the question in English to the person at the station. That person responds in English, and the device translates that aloud to the travelers.

Artificial intelligence is also being used behind the scenes to reduce the time airplanes spend at the gate between flights, which can mean shorter waiting time for passengers who have boarded and buckled up. London-Gatwick, Québec City and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airports are among about 30 around the world testing or installing a visual A.I. system made by the Swiss company Assaia. The system uses cameras pointed at a plane parked at the gate to track everything that happens after the aircraft lands: how long it takes for fuel and catering trucks to arrive, whether the cargo door is open, and even if employees on the ground are wearing their safety vests.

While humans can do each of these tasks, monitoring and analyzing the operations of these various functions can speed the turnaround of the plane and prevent accidents, according to Assaia. After the same plane has, for instance, been filmed doing hundreds of turnarounds at a particular airport, the A.I. system can identify the elements or situations that most often cause delays, and managers can take corrective action. Accidents like ground crew injuries or service vehicle collisions can also be analyzed for their causes.