Southwest Uses AI to Manage 85,000 Devices, Cutting IT Fixes Before They Disrupt 800 Jets
Updated
Updated · Computerworld · May 14
Southwest Uses AI to Manage 85,000 Devices, Cutting IT Fixes Before They Disrupt 800 Jets
4 articles · Updated · Computerworld · May 14
Southwest has shifted endpoint support from reactive ticket handling to proactive prevention, using AI and automation to manage the digital tools relied on by its 72,000 employees across airline operations.
85,000 devices — about 50,000 smartphones and tablets, 20,000 laptops and 15,000 PCs — now sit under tighter monitoring as the airline tries to stop IT failures from slowing gate agents, crews and aircraft turnarounds.
2.1 billion remote actions were run in 2025, up from 1.1 billion in 2024, saving an estimated 23,000 employee hours by automatically fixing issues such as Microsoft Teams crashes and disk-space problems.
5.8 million automated remote actions were deployed in the past month alone, including workflows that tackled a 20% failure rate in Southwest’s Microsoft SCCM update client and generated ServiceNow tickets after repeated device crashes.
Southwest is also piloting Nexthink’s Spark AI assistant for self-service fixes, while saying wider rollout will depend on governance, guardrails and proof that automation remains reliable and controlled.
With billions of automated fixes, how does Southwest stop its AI from becoming a catastrophic security risk?
As AI creates a 'Zero Ticket' helpdesk, what is the future for Southwest's human IT support staff?
Beyond saving hours, what is the actual financial ROI from Southwest's massive investment in proactive AI?