The aviation industry has always been a first mover in adopting technological advancements. This early adoption offers valuable insights because of its stringent regulations and safety - critical procedures. As a result, the aviation industry provides an optimal platform to counter AI vulnerabilities through its tight regulation s, standardization processes, and certification of new technologies . Keywords: AI in aviation; aviation safety; standardization; certifiable AI; regulations 2 Introduction The aviation industry has always been a trailblazer in embracing innovation, constantly driving safer air travel through various technological revolutions from the early days of pioneer flights to the modern era. T he latest frontier lies in the rise of arti ficial intelligence (AI) and it s potential to reshape aviation in extraordinary ways from pre - flight arrangements to in - flight operations and analyze post - flight data . In real - time, AI - powered assistants in cockpits can analyze vast amounts of data to alert pilots of changing weather conditions and determine optimal flight routes . Moreover, AI can vastly improve business intelligence by predicting and mitigating potential delays, reducing congestion, and ensuring smoother operations and safety . As AI continues to develop, the policy landscape on its role and application will evolve. In 1956, computer science researchers across the United States gathered at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire to discuss the formative concepts and ideas on a new branch of computing pegged artificial intelligence. The end goal of this gathering was to advance AI to the point that human assistance and intervention was no longer needed to perform a task. The evolution of AI since this meeting has resulted in decades of research and investment in the AI ecosystem -- a group of AI systems which are linked togethe r to achieve common goals .

EASA envisions three stages of AI's rollout in aviation: systems that will assist pilots (2022–2025); human-machine collaboration in flying an aircraft, such as a "virtual" first officer (2025–2030); and autonomous commercial air transport, or, more colloquially, pilotless airliners that fly themselves (2035 and beyond). EASA broadly defines AI as "any technology that appears to emulate the performance of a human." Ultimately, the widespread deployment of AI in aviation comes down to a matter of trust, EASA stated. "A European ethical approach to AI is central to strengthen citizens' trust in the digital development and aims at building a competitive advantage for European companies," according to the EASA roadmap. "Only if AI is developed and used in a way that respects widely shared ethical values can it be considered trustworthy. Therefore, there is a need for ethical guidelines that build on the existing regulatory framework. In June 2018, the [European] Commission set up a High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI HLEG), the general objective of which was to support the implementation of the European strategy on AI. This includes the elaboration of recommendations on future-related policy development and on ethical, legal and societal issues related to AI, including socio-economic challenges. In April 2019, the AI HLEG proposed the following seven key requirements for trustworthy AI, which were published in its report on Ethics Guidelines on Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence."