French-Dutch airline group, Air France-KLM, has partnered with Accenture and Google Cloud to launch a dedicated generative AI (gen AI) factory, designed to accelerate innovation and operational transformation across the airline group.

The initiative, hosted on Google Cloud and developed in collaboration with Accenture, provides a scalable framework to test, manage and deploy gen AI, agentic, and machine learning models tailored to the group’s needs. The gen AI factory is already driving tangible results across areas including ground operations, engineering and maintenance, and customer service.

The factory allows Air France-KLM to identify high-value use cases more efficiently and roll them out at scale using shared tools, methodologies and cross-functional expertise. According to the airline group, the ability to move from experimentation to enterprise-ready deployment has already improved development speed by more than 35%.

The collaboration builds on earlier work between Accenture and Air France-KLM to modernise the airline’s digital core. That effort saw a migration of key applications to the cloud, paving the way for faster and more agile deployment of gen AI capabilities. Air France-KLM has since developed a private AI assistant and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) tools that combine large language models with internal search capabilities to support complex tasks—such as diagnosing and repairing aircraft damage.

A key aspect of the initiative is empowering internal teams to harness AI for practical business challenges. Through co-hosted ‘GenAI Days’, employees were trained on how to use the factory’s tools to develop solutions with measurable impact, including cost savings and new revenue opportunities.

Sabine Bechelani, managing director for travel and client account lead at Accenture, said: “This collaboration demonstrates how investing in a robust cloud-powered digital core strengthens organisational resilience and agility. By leveraging gen AI, we are not only simplifying the journey for customers but also unlocking significant business value.”

Isabelle Fraine, managing director of Google Cloud France, said: “We are thrilled to bring the best of our cloud and AI technology to accelerate this business transformation, enhance the group’s operations and foster the creation of new experiences for travellers.”

Julie Pozzi, head of data and AI at Air France-KLM, described the gen AI initiative as a shift beyond technology alone: “Thanks to Accenture and Google Cloud, we aim at leveraging generative AI to reinvent the operational backbone of the airline industry. This collaboration will empower us to anticipate and respond to the evolving travel landscape, delivering a truly personalised and transformative experience for every passenger and every operation.”

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