Artificial intelligence wealth is reshaping private aviation. Many newly wealthy tech figures are skipping supercars and moving directly to private jets. Demand has surged across the United States after SpaceX’s record $85.7 billion initial public offering created major employee and founder wealth. Aviation companies also expect possible listings from OpenAI and Anthropic to produce another wave of buyers. Some technology workers are already shopping for aircraft before receiving their full payouts. Tech Wealth Fuels Private Aviation Demand Amanda Applegate, an aviation lawyer who specialises in aircraft transactions, said business at Soar Aviation Law rose 25 percent this year. The surge became so intense that she skipped her annual vacation to handle aircraft-purchase agreements. “I think there are many more people who can afford to travel privately, and that number seems to grow daily,” Applegate told Reuters. Flexjet has also recorded a shift in its customer profile. The company offers fractional ownership, leases and memberships that let customers prepay for flight hours. “Self-made first-generation wealth, like those set to benefit from these tech IPOs, is resulting in a Flexjet customer base that is younger,” Flexjet sales executive D.J. Hanlon said. Technology clients now account for about three-quarters of one California aircraft broker’s business. They represented roughly one-fifth a decade ago. The broker said scarce luxury jets could now sell for 10 to 15 percent more than last year. Buyers Move Before Their Payouts Arrive Many first-time customers start with charter services, jet cards or shared ownership before purchasing an entire aircraft. JetNet data showed shared-ownership flights rose 11.8 percent worldwide during the first five months of 2026. Flights operated by private aircraft owners climbed 13.4 percent during the same period. JetNet’s June market monitor also identified fractional ownership as one of the industry’s strongest-performing segments. Read More: PIA Set to Appoint Former Ethiopian Airlines Chief as CEO Jet Linx reported 60 percent business growth through May. Its jet-card membership sales rose sharply in San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. Memberships start with a one-time $17,500 fee or a $250,000 upfront deposit. “We frankly knew that we would do better year-over-year, but these numbers are far ahead of the expectations we had going into 2026,” Jet Linx CEO Jamie Walker said. Mercury Jets also reported double-digit growth in inquiries from technology executives. It received requests from people who had never travelled privately before. Younger Buyers Transform the Jet Market DMARGE estimated that chartering costs between AUD 2,200 and AUD 26,500 an hour, depending on the aircraft. Buying a jet generally costs between AUD 8.60 million and AUD 100 million. The pattern resembles the dot-com boom. Business jet deliveries increased 24 percent as technology fortunes multiplied during that period. However, today’s buyers often move faster. They include software engineers, startup founders and AI researchers, many still in their thirties. Some have yet to see their companies reach public markets. San Francisco recorded an 11 percent annual rise in business-jet flights through June 14. Traffic near SpaceX’s Texas launch site jumped 177 percent during the company’s IPO window. The aircraft remain familiar, but the ownership base is changing. Continued AI wealth creation could reshape private aviation over the next decade.
Pakistan IT Exports Hit Record $4.6 Billion in FY26 as AI and Robotics Drive Growth
Pakistan’s information technology sector has reached a historic milestone, recording $4.6 billion in IT exports during fiscal year 2025-26, as the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) hailed the achievement as proof of the country’s growing strength in global technology markets despite regional instability. The record export figure represents a 21 percent increase over the previous fiscal year, according to official data, making IT and IT-enabled services one of Pakistan’s fastest-growing export sectors. June alone contributed $416 million in exports, the highest monthly total of FY26, reflecting both year-on-year and month-on-month growth. P@SHA said the achievement came despite “major, warlike disruptions in the region and the broader Middle-East during the FY26” and highlighted the industry’s ability to diversify into emerging technologies and new international markets. AI, Robotics Drive New Growth In a statement issued on Sunday, P@SHA said Pakistan expanded beyond traditional software and IT-enabled services by strengthening its capabilities in artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, allowing technology firms to remain competitive even during a challenging regional environment. Welcoming the milestone, P@SHA Chairman Sajjad Syed praised the industry’s collective efforts. “US$4.6 billion is a hallmark of Pakistan’s growing technical prowess and reflects the collective effort of thousands of Pakistani technology companies and the professionals they employ.” He added that the achievement reflects the industry’s ability to evolve with global demand. “This achievement demonstrates that Pakistan is not only delivering established IT and ITeS solutions; but, is also building capabilities in emerging technologies; keeping pace with the global technology curve and diversifying geographically as well.” Official figures show Pakistan’s IT exports climbed from $3.81 billion in FY25 to $4.6 billion in FY26, driven by growing demand for digital services, supportive policy measures and improved export performance across international markets. Industry Calls for Stable Policies While celebrating the record performance, P@SHA stressed that sustained growth will depend on consistent government support and policy continuity. The association said stable tax policies, simplified compliance procedures, investment in digital connectivity and close collaboration between the public and private sectors remain essential for maintaining export momentum. “P@SHA is proud of this milestone, it remains equally focused on what comes next. Consistency in tax policies, streamlined compliance, continued investment in digital connectivity, and sustained collaboration between government and industry will enable Pakistan to build on this momentum, strengthen its position as a future-ready technology destination, and reach even greater heights in the years ahead.” The association added that it will continue working with policymakers, industry leaders and international partners to strengthen Pakistan’s IT and ITeS ecosystem and improve its global competitiveness. Analysts say the latest figures also place Pakistan on a stronger path toward the government’s long-term digital economy ambitions. Under the Uraan Pakistan economic plan, authorities have set a target of $10 billion in IT exports by FY29, although achieving that goal will require sustained annual growth, continued investment and expansion into high-value technologies. Industry leaders believe Pakistan’s growing talent pool, expanding freelance economy and increasing adoption of advanced technologies position the country to capture a larger share of the global digital services market, provided policy stability and investor confidence remain intact.
