United Airlines CIO, Trulaske alum talks value-driven tech in the airline industry
In an era when technology is evolving faster than ever, keeping pace with the change that follows is like trying to run alongside a commercial jet during takeoff. But United Airlines CIO Jason Birnbaum, BSBA ’93 has learned that whether it’s the digital transformations spurred by the iPhone, dotcoms, the Cloud or the AI revolution, the navigation system is always the same — it’s all about adding value to your service.
“Don’t get caught up chasing shiny objects,” Birnbaum said. “There’s a lot of hype and noise…but the lesson here is to stay focused on what’s important to your customers, stay focused on what’s important to your employees, and find value in the technology that’s relevant to you.”
For Birnbaum, finding that relevant technology starts with listening. That might mean jumping on a plane and learning first-hand about what passengers are experiencing, spending time at the gate with United agents, onboard with the flight attendants in the galley, or simply mentioning his job in casual interactions and getting feedback about the airline’s mobile app or inflight entertainment.
“I see digital transformations as a way to enable people to achieve amazing customer experiences and improve a business’ ability to deliver its products,” Birnbaum said. “At United Airlines, our mission is to connect people and unite the world, so we’re focused on making sure our customers have the most robust and useful tools throughout their journey and that our employees are empowered with the right tech and information to make those experiences amazing.”
Birnbaum is excited about AI’s potential to create more personalized experiences for customers and to help them plan trips and choose new travel destinations.
“It has the power to help you plan your next trip and to take a lot of the friction out of all the development and logistics associated with that,” he said. “I think that opens the door to a lot of people who may have been reluctant to travel.”
He also sees potential for AI to improve the airline’s efficiency, particularly as it works to keep up with growing demand.
“United Airlines is growing, but we’re not building a lot of new airports or runways in the United States, so how do you continue to grow and provide more capacity in an environment that’s constrained?” Birnbaum pointed out. “AI and analytics has the power to help United optimize its delivery and continue to provide more destinations and routes in a world that’s generally constrained.”
The role of CIO has changed dramatically just in the past five years, Birnbaum said, as those in the position must be prepared to pilot their companies through these rapid transformations, without fully knowing what’s going to happen at the other end of the trip.
“In today’s world, technology is evolving faster than ever, so not only are CIOs having to manage large and complex operations but also understand what’s happening with start-ups and new technologies such as AI, robotics and quantum computing, so it’s a much more complex role than it was even three years ago,” he said. “It’s an amazing period of time, and I think CIOs are uniquely positioned to lead their organizations through this change. But it’s certainly not without its difficulties.”
Where the Journey Began
Birnbaum describes leading digital transformations as a “journey” — a journey that he fell in love with during his time at the University of Missouri.
Birnbaum arrived at the Mizzou campus with a plan to study biology, but in 1990, he landed in Econ 51 with the legendary Walter L. Johnson (lovingly known as “Guns & Butter Johnson” by generations of students who were lucky enough to sit in his lecture hall) and was himself transformed.
“I always had a passion for technology, but when I took that class, I realized I loved economics, I loved business and its ability to transform, so for me it was a really interesting juxtaposition.”
Birnbaum earned his BSBA in Finance in 1993. More than three decades later, the principles he learned while studying at Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business still help him navigate his day-to-day work at United Airlines. Now, the Trulaske alum enjoys sharing his expertise to help the college build on one of its three pillars of success — transformative technology.
“There is no career — period — that doesn’t have some dimension of technology,” Birnbaum said. “It’s critical that students are adept at understanding it, thinking of applying it in a critical way, and understanding the human factor associated with it.”
As a new member of the Trulaske Dean’s Advisory Board, Birnbaum encourages other alumni to give back by sharing their stories and expertise, both of which can prove to be invaluable.
“We are grateful for Jason’s willingness to share his wealth of first-hand experience in leading digital transformations, which will support us in creating meaningful access to transformative technology for our students,” said Balaji Rajagopalan, Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. Dean of the Trulaske College of Business. “Our students will benefit tremendously from his insight.”
Birnbaum encourages today’s business students to take a holistic approach to their education, focusing not just on their main area of academic interest, but also in the humanities, political science and other disciplines.
“I have three sons and I always tell them, ‘Your major is what you do 9-5, but when you go to dinner or you meet other people after work, what are you going to talk about?’” he said. “Make sure you walk out of the university not just knowing how accounting or engineering works, but also make sure you take time to learn how the world works.”
Having a broader view of the world and his place in it has served Birnbaum and his customers well.
“I have a passion for helping people, whether it’s our customers or our employees, do what they do better.”
Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business prepares students for success as global citizens, business leaders, scholars, innovators and entrepreneurs by providing access to transformative technologies, offering experience-centered learning opportunities and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.