Generative AI and the Aircraft Parts Aftermarket

Introduction

Generative AI, a new form of AI, burst on the scene in late 2022 with Chat GPT, Microsoft Co-pilot in early 2023 and Meta AI appearing this year on all Meta’s social and messaging apps. Introducing the world to world leading generative AI, the ability to generate human level intelligence, including stories, poems, essays and images instantly.

My goal was to see how well Generative AI could support Aircraft Parts Distribution in achieving specific business goals. I did this by asking 3 major Generative AI platforms (Microsoft Co-pilot, Google Gemini and Meta AI) three questions.

First Question – Generate an Image of a warehouse full of parts!

The goal was to use this in a social media post. I tried Meta and the image was ok, but the parts were floating around the warehouse. With Google Gemini the image was not realistic, with the same part duplicated on every shelf.  This left MSFT Co-pilot as the winner with a more realistic-looking warehouse full of parts. You can see the three images above on the article image.

Second Question –Name some best Practices when selling aircraft parts.

The question was a little open ended but in the context of increasing sales Google Gemini won. Primarily because they mentioned not only targeting the right buyers (maintenance facilities) but also mentioned a major online marketplace, (E-plane) and marketplaces are important for sales quotes. E-plane is not the leading platform, but if you ask Gemini specifically about marketplaces, it does bring up the two main US platforms www.ILSmart.com and www.Partsbase.com

Gemini Excerpt:

Sales and Marketing:

• Target audience: Identify your target audience – repair shops, maintenance facilities, individual aircraft owners (considering their aircraft type).
• Online marketplaces: Utilize online platforms specifically for aircraft parts sales like ePlane or Controller https://www.eplane.com/parts
• Accurate descriptions: Provide detailed descriptions of the parts, including high-quality pictures, part numbers, and any relevant specifications.
• Competitive pricing: Research market rates for similar parts to set competitive prices.

Comparing Gemini with Co-pilot and Meta AI for Q2

Co-pilot

Co-Pilot mentioned more general business concepts like building relationships, open lines of communication and quality service and products. These were not what I would call critical selling factors unlike marketplaces and targeting the right buyers.

Meta AI

Meta was much more focused on the industry compared to Co-pilot and overlapping with Google Gemini mentioning, Condition of parts and Certification. META wins the feather in the cap for mentioning the holy grail of part documentation the FAA 8130 certificate.

Excerpt:

1. Ensure Authenticity

Verify the parts’ authenticity and ensure they are genuine and not counterfeit.

2. Documentation

Provide complete documentation, including: Manufacturer’s certifications (e.g., FAA Form 8130-3)

Third Question – Draw up terms and conditions for my aircraft parts distribution website.

My final question was a legal one and needs to be accurate to protect the business and potentially save the company expensive legal fees.

All three platforms drew up a legal template. And all three were quite vague in the information provided. Looking at all three platforms they all mentioned refunds and so used this as a comparison between the three:

Meta AI:

Returns and Refunds

• You may return Products within [time, e.g. 30 days] of delivery if they are defective or do not match the description on the Website.
• You must obtain a return merchandise authorization (RMA) from us before returning any Products.
• We will refund the purchase price of returned Products, minus any restocking fees.

Gemini:

Returns and Refunds

• Returns are only accepted within [number] days of delivery for unopened and unused items.
• A restocking fee of [percentage]% may apply to all returned items.
• We will not accept returns for opened, used, or incorrectly ordered items.
• To initiate a return, please contact us at [phone number] or [email address].

Co- pilot:

Warranty and Returns

• The Seller warrants that the Parts are free from defects in material and workmanship.
• Customers must inspect the Parts upon delivery and report any defects within [number of days] days.
• Returns are subject to the Seller’s return policy.

Meta and Gemini both mentioned restocking fees, common in the parts business and all three specified the number of days allowed after purchase to return parts. Meta also mentioned a returns merchandise authorization form (RMA) a common form used when returning part. So, I give the edge to Meta on this one.

Conclusion

None of the platforms delved deep into the aircraft parts industry, they provided key points with small to little additional paragraphs. In conclusion it was clear that often the prompts need to be tweaked if you do not get what you initially want. The more detailed the question the better the result. I think you could use the image created in social media with a few additional edits, and a logo, provided you label it as AI.

When you ask AI to create a perfect story for children it can do it effortlessly 100% but when you ask it industry specific questions in a niche field like aviation it’s clear that AI can provide frameworks for more input from the user, business owner. You can check out the home page for these platforms here:

Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com

Meta AI: https://ai.meta.com/meta-ai/

Co-Pilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com/