Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is capable of generating text, imagery, music, and other outputs based on user-inputted prompts. And although AI technologies are nothing new, the quickening development and extensive media coverage throughout 2023 means that the adoption of GenAI is growing—including among businesses in the transport sector.

With NASA using GenAI to design and manufacture its spacecraft parts and the aviation industry looking at using it to create personalised pilot training scenarios and deliver custom travel recommendations to passengers, it’s clear to see that there are potential applications for rail as well. These could include assisting passengers with their enquiries and streamlining the generation of new materials.

However, the Futures Lab investigation also uncovered some risks associated with this technology. Particular concerns include ‘privacy, data ownership, and usage, model outputs, and third-party service dependencies’. Without adequate data security measures, for example, there may be an inadvertent transfer of proprietary organisational or commercial information to third parties or an increased risk of cybersecurity hacking.

Leveraging GenAI in rail could transform parts of the industry, but a degree of balance and caution will be necessary. Organisations will need to consider:

  • maintaining a strong level of situational awareness to track how these technologies further develop
  • starting a process to identify where they can be put to most beneficial use
  • considering how to mitigate the dynamics risks and concerns that currently accompany GenAI.