by Dollita Okine, Face2FaceAfrica.com
Ke’Shawn Alexander, a Product Manager and Builder now residing in Atlanta, GA, and originally from Washington, D.C., has developed an AI-powered trip intelligence tool. This innovation is designed to help travelers determine exactly when to leave for the airport.
Alexander’s roots in STEM sprouted early, inspired by his family; his grandmother was a mathematician, and his uncle worked as a drafter for NASA, as he shared with AfroTech.
This influence led him to attend a STEM middle school. Alexander is a two-time HBCU graduate, holding a bachelor’s degree in general science from Morehouse College and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
His travel experiences inspired him to launch his platform called SkySpot, his first tech startup. As a frequent traveler, he often had to manually calculate parking availability, TSA wait times, and traffic when navigating Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Now, he’s applying his skills to build SkySpot, an AI-powered trip intelligence tool. SkySpot addresses this common traveler challenge by determining the single, optimized departure time needed to ensure travelers arrive at their gate on time.
“I’m combining traffic data, TSA variability, some airport data heuristics, and then the different transportation options to actually deliver that recommendation,” Alexander told AfroTech.
SkySpot assists users with trip navigation by calculating whether driving a personal vehicle or using ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft is preferable. It seamlessly integrates with Google Maps and Apple Maps, automatically using the user’s current location and the airport’s coordinates for accurate planning.
Alexander explained that the platform features a risk indicator, a probabilistic signal that helps users determine potential airport busyness. It categorizes airport and traffic conditions as low, medium, or high by utilizing TSA data and real-time traffic APIs.
SkySpot also includes a confidence score, which indicates the accuracy of the app’s suggested departure time.
“Right now, travelers rely on too many apps. You’re cycling through maybe three to four applications to figure out how to plan a trip, whether it’s going to Delta to get your ticket and look at your flight information, then going to Google apps or the ride share [apps] to get some other information. Then maybe ParkMobile if you’re driving, you’re not parking on site,” he explained.
“For me, it’s just offering people a way of convenience and a certainty that they’ll be able to get from their house to the airport on time.”
SkySpot is currently in beta testing and is focused on domestic travelers with the aim of expanding to all 50 states and then to international travelers. Currently, SkySpot is available at the following airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
“We’re looking to evolve from the rule-based heuristics that we’re using to like actual probabilistic modeling. So over time, we’re building the confidence score that is reflected on the on-time arrival probability. And then also AI will be used to personalize people’s travel experience based on how they want to travel,” Alexander stated.
Alexander noted that feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with users consistently describing SkySpot’s recommendations as “super accurate.” Also, some users have indicated an intention to use the app repeatedly.
Moving forward, users have expressed hope for future features such as an incentive program, like a credit card partnership, and better accessibility for disabled populations—both of which Alexander acknowledges will be important considerations for the app’s growth.
The beta version of SkySpot is accessible via its free iOS mobile app. While the app itself is free to use, users will have the option at launch to subscribe to SkySpot Pro for access to premium features.
Alexander announced plans to introduce a founding members tier. This exclusive group will receive a lifetime discount and immediate access to 2.0 features such as flight number autofill, a personalized buffer setting, and priority updates, including flight delay and cancellation notifications.