Taking Off: The rise of personalised IFE

In-flight entertainment systems now play a big part in how airlines are perceived by passengers. Increasingly, these IFE systems are getting sophisticated and highly customised to cater to individual tastes,

- NIDHI SHARMA

As the aircraft takes to the skies, it is the start of the journey for the passengers, but for the airlines, it is just the beginning. The start to not just taking passengers from point A to point B, but making sure that it is a memorable journey. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes to the forefront, set to revolutionise in-flight entertainment (IFE) with personalised content that caters to individual tastes and preferences.

Imagine a future where in-flight personalisation anticipates your every need — A system that can even analyse your facial expressions to determine your level of engagement and adjust the content accordingly. AI can even consider the passenger’s emotional state. For instance, if the flight is experiencing turbulence, the system might suggest calming music or nature documentaries to alleviate anxiety. In 2024, Thales announced “FlytEdge” – the world’s first cloud-based IFE system that makes “intelligent” recommendations.

This is the promise of emerging AI technologies such as generative AI, augmented reality (AR), and biometric integration. Generative AI, with advances like those seen at OpenAI, could curate bespoke content for each flight, offering personalised travel guides or dynamically generated music playlists. Augmented reality (AR) could transform the cabin into an interactive space, offering virtual tours of destinations or engaging games, a market PwC predicts could reach $3 billion by 2027.

Further, by 2031, the global market for AI in aviation is estimated to reach $23 billion, a significant increase from its 2022 valuation of $728.05 million. Generic movie selections and limited music choices are becoming a thing of the past. Personalisation is now a key consumer expectation, especially in travel.