Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian doesn’t like the term ‘artificial intelligence': ‘I want our employees to see it as…’

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said he prefers not to use the term “artificial intelligence.” He argued that it creates unnecessary fear among employees about job losses. In an interview with Fortune at Great Place to Work’s For All Summit in Las Vegas, Bastian said Delta refers to the technology as “augmented intelligence” because it is intended to help employees perform their jobs more effectively rather than replace them. His comments come as companies across industries continue to evaluate how AI could reshape operations, customer service, and workforce roles.“I think it’s a mistake to call anything artificial. You want to scare people? Tell them that artificial intelligence is coming for you,” Bastian told Fortune.He added that Delta wants employees to see the technology as support rather than a threat. “I want our employees to see it as a tool to enable them to do their jobs better, not to replace them, but to enhance them,” the executive explained.Bastian said Delta does not plan to use AI to reduce headcount. Instead, employees whose tasks are automated could be reassigned to customer-facing roles. “To the extent there’s less need for more people at a gate or more people on a phone, we’ll redeploy those people to better serve customers even more,” he said.He also pointed to broader challenges facing the airline industry, including rising fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty. He said fuel prices recently doubled in a single month, while global conflicts and trade issues continue to affect demand and operating costs.“Carriers are going to have to reorganise in order to survive,” Bastian noted, referring to airlines that rely heavily on low-cost pricing models.He also said Delta is focused on maintaining financial stability, describing the airline’s approach as building a “fortress balance sheet” to prepare for future disruptions. Bastian highlighted Delta’s workplace culture as another focus area. He also referenced Delta’s employee profit-sharing programme, which distributes around 15% of the airline’s profits to frontline staff. This year, Delta paid $1.3 billion through the programme.On AI in aviation, Bastian made it clear that some roles will remain human-led. “I’m never getting on an airplane without two Delta pilots on it commercially, and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon,” he added.