Aerospace manufacturers predict AI to drive the biggest changes in how aircraft are built over the next 10 years.
Some 38% of manufacturers say AI used in real-time decision-making will drive the biggest changes by 2035, ahead of digital twins (24%) and robotics (19%).
The findings are part of Tata Consultancy Services’ Future-Ready Skies Study 2025, a new piece of research looking at how advanced technologies are transforming the industry.
With insights from 323 aerospace executives across North America and Europe, the report examines how aerospace companies are preparing for a digitally enabled and AI-powered future across manufacturing, maintenance, mobility, and supply chains.
It found that, despite wider use of AI, manufacturers expect human involvement to remain essential in 60% of their production processes, on average, reinforcing a hybrid future where human expertise and AI work together.
Some 63% of respondents said they are open to allowing agentic AI to operate their supply chains, but only 6% said they are already doing so.
On average, respondents anticipate 40% of their manufacturing operations to be ‘lights-out’, requiring minimal human intervention, within the next 5-7 years.
More than half (51%) of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) companies expect a return on investment in advanced technology in five years or sooner, with nearly two-thirds (64%) expecting predictive analytics and agentic AI to deliver measurable ROI in that timeframe.
And only a third (34%) of advanced air mobility (AAM) companies cited ‘public acceptance’ as an obstacle to services such as urban air taxis. Some 70% are already building commercial platforms, which TCS says reflects industry momentum.
The report states: “In an era of advanced automation, the future of aerospace is human-centric AI.
“It’s not the absence of people that leads to superior outcomes, but the elevation of their role through customised, intelligent technologies that support decision-making, planning, and real-time responsiveness.”
Anupam Singhal, president of manufacturing at TCS, added, “The aerospace industry has always been one where ambition is matched by precision and safety.
“Today, ambition is redefined as AI moves from supporting operations to shaping enterprise strategy — advancing passenger experience, safety, and sustainability.
“At TCS, we see this as a leadership opportunity to help aerospace enterprises build resilient, adaptive ecosystems and shape skies that are bold, transformative, and future-defining.”
As more organisations invest in foundational capabilities, TCS says ‘the stage is set’ for greater real-time decision intelligence and operational transparency across the value chain.
The report however found a ‘fragility in supply chains, with just 28% of aerospace firms saying they can pivot sourcing within 30 days of a major Tier 1 supplier disruption.
And while leaders in the MRO sector are laying the groundwork for advanced automation, only 2% of the surveyed leaders anticipate having fully autonomous processes – from detection to repair decisions – by 2030.
The aerospace market is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, and the MRO segment alone is expected to reach $137 billion.
Certification of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft is expected in the coming years.
