IBM and Riyadh Air unveiled Riyadh Air as the world’s first AI-native airline at IBM Think Riyadh 2025, marking a significant milestone in their partnership.
These AI-driven operations, which were created from the ground up without the need for legacy patch work, offer the basis for revolutionizing employee and visitor experiences and raising the bar for innovation in the aviation sector.
Riyadh Air utilizes IBM Watsonx Orchestrate, IBM Consulting’s extensive partner network, and deep industry and technical experience to function as an AI-native business from day one. This ambitious AI vision was orchestrated by IBM Consulting, which brought together 59 workstreams and over 60 partners, including Adobe, Apple, FLYR, and Microsoft.
IBM consultants were able to assist in the smooth implementation of the airline’s end-to-end technology strategy by using IBM Consulting Advantage, its AI-powered delivery platform intended to speed up value creation.
The three-year partnership between Riyadh Air and IBM has reached a turning point, with inaugural flights under way and its first commercial operation anticipated in early 2026.
“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, Chief Financial Officer, 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.”
“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,”
said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting.
“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.”
AI-powered tailored digital workplace will be introduced by Riyadh Air. As Riyadh Air doubles its staff in the next 12 months, the platform will provide employees with a single, chat-first access point to HR, streamlining workflows and speeding up critical employee and management self-service capabilities.
AI-driven mobile apps will build a cohesive and connected visitor and staff experience. IBM Watsonx Orchestrate will be used by Riyadh Air to provide an agentic AI-based concierge experience for staff members that is proactive, trustworthy, contextually aware, and suggests an optimal course of action and strategy for each persona dealing with passengers.
This will let ground and cabin staffers provide customized service, such as offering passengers who are running late fast-track services.