Why Air Canada’s Digital Officer Is Done With AI ‘Use Cases’
Photo Credit: Firas Al Osman, Air Canada (L), speaking at Skift Data + AI Summit on June 3, 2026 in New York City. Skift
Skift Take
Most travel companies are still cataloguing AI use cases. Air Canada's chief digital officer argues that catalogue is what’s keeping their AI work narrow and shallow.
Air Canada is moving away from framing its AI work as a list of use cases. Its digital chief argues that targeting use cases keeps the industry stuck.
“I’m actually shifting away from the term 'use cases' altogether,” said Firas Al Osman, Air Canada’s chief digital officer, at the Skift Data + AI Summit on Wednesday.
“When we start with a use case, what we end up with is point solutions to very narrow problems, and sure, it may drive some level of improvement in the experience or productivity internally, but the reality is you’re not going to be able to make a meaningful impact.”
Air Canada’s alternative is building what he calls a “connected and intellig
