IZKT | When AI flies with you: Human-AI collaboration in the cockpit

IRIS member, Michelle Fini, presents her research in the IZKT series: Lunch Talk

Artificial intelligence is set to take on increasingly complex tasks in the cockpit. Technically, much seems feasible – but what actually happens when a human suddenly finds themselves working with AI as a co-pilot? Does genuine teamwork develop? Blind trust? Or rather skepticism at the crucial moment?

This is where Michelle Fini's research comes in: in an experimental study, pilots took over the aircraft's takeoff in a flight simulator – but with different “teammates”: once with a human co-pilot, once with a reliable AI, and once with an AI that made mistakes.

How does the mental strain change? Who is trusted – and why? And does the collaboration between humans and machines really work as smoothly as the technology promises?

The results provide exciting insights into the dynamics between humans and AI in the safety-critical environment of aviation – and raise a central question: As AI systems become increasingly powerful, what really matters for maintaining high safety standards in the cockpit?

Michelle Fini is a doctoral student at the Institute of Aviation Systems and conducts research on human factors and human-AI collaboration in aviation as part of the IRIS-HISIT Research project. To learn more about her research, see the link below.

Cooperation: Hospitalhof Stuttgart, IZKT, and IRIS at the University of Stuttgart, Stuvus (student council at the University of Stuttgart)

Flyer to download

Human-AI Teaming Research on Multidimensional MOdelling for Networked Dynamic (HARMONY) 

[Picture: Michelle Fini]