Overview: According to the ICAO conference documents, the 7th Global Aviation Transport Conference (ATCONF/7) is scheduled to be held from November 16 to 20 at the ICAO headquarters in Montreal. Agenda item four focuses on "Emerging Technologies, New Business Models, and Other Related Issues." Specifically, the representative from Oman, on behalf of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), submitted a working paper (ATConf/7-WP/151) suggesting that ICAO take the lead in promoting the establishment of a global common framework that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to connect aviation transport agreements with operational licensing systems.
According to the meeting schedule released by ICAO, ATCONF/7 will be held at its headquarters in Montreal from November 16 to 20. Agenda item four is "Emerging Technologies, New Business Models, and Other Related Issues," with sub-item 4.1 focusing on "The Economic Regulatory Framework for Emerging Technologies." This indicates that discussions related to AI will no longer be confined to the technical tracks of airworthiness certification and operational safety but will now be included in the economic regulatory agenda for air transport. The participants in these discussions will also expand from certification experts to include policy departments responsible for transport agreements and market access.
According to conference document ATConf/7-WP/151, a working paper submitted by the Omani delegation, ACAO, titled "Towards a Common Global Framework under the Leadership of ICAO to Connect Bilateral Air Transport Agreements with Operational Authorization Systems Using AI." Its executive summary proposes that ICAO adopt an international approach to address this issue. Judging from the title and summary, it aims to discuss "the application of AI in the licensing and approval process" and "the alignment of bilateral air transport agreements" within a single framework. The details of the discussion and revisions of the document during the conference should be based on the ICAO conference proceedings.
The inclusion of AI in the ATCONF agenda is not an isolated event. According to a document submitted by the ICAO Secretariat to the 61st Asia/Pacific Regional Aviation Conference (Kuala Lumpur, September 7-11) this year, innovation has been identified as a high-priority enabling element in the “ICAO Strategic Plan 2026-2050” and the “2026-2028 Business Plan.” The “ICAO Innovation Policy,” approved by the Council, provides a framework for related work. This strategic positioning, along with the adjustments to the agenda of the transport conference, points in the same direction: AI is evolving from a technical issue to a governance issue.
Previous global discussions on AI in civil aviation have largely focused on safety and certification aspects, such as EASA's NPA process and ICAO's AI standardization initiatives. The difference in ATCONF/7's agenda item four lies in its context: it places AI within the economic regulatory framework of market access, operational licensing, and transport agreements. If member states reach a consensus on WP/151, the way transport agreements and license approvals are linked may be redesigned in the medium to long term. Even if significant disagreements remain, the inclusion of "emerging technologies require an economic regulatory framework" in the meeting's conclusions will influence the negotiation agenda in the years to come. The meeting concluded on November 20th, and the results are worth paying attention to.