Changi Airport in Singapore is addressing the labor-intensive and time-consuming task of baggage screening by experimenting with AI-powered technology.
The airport is currently testing AI machines at Terminal 3 to analyze images of carry-on baggage, aiming to streamline the screening process and reduce the workload on human agents. The Changi Airport Group (CAG) has deployed AI tools to interpret X-ray machine data, and initial results indicate that AI systems perform on par with or even better than human counterparts in baggage screening. The technology, called the Automated Prohibited Items Detection System (Apids), shows promise but requires further trials to minimize false alarms, especially in a high-traffic airport like Changi.
CAG envisions a system where carry-on baggage is primarily screened by machines, with human intervention reserved for flagged cases, thereby significantly decreasing the workload on airport personnel. As Changi Airport experiences a surge in passenger traffic post-COVID, the timely adoption of this screening technology could prove instrumental, especially amid ongoing staff shortages at many airports.
