[duderific]

AI doesn't "want to" control air traffic. It doesn't have any desire or ambition. That's what the humans are for.

It is merely a tool like a hammer. The hammer doesn't build the house, it is the human who wields the hammer that builds the house.

[pron]

I didn't say it wants to do anything. It also doesn't want to build software. But why would it be the case that an AI told to build an air traffic control software could successfully do that, but an AI told to make sure planes arrive where they're supposed to safely and on time won't be able to figure out the rest?

Now, I'm not saying it's impossible for there to be something that makes the first job significantly easier than the second, but it's strange for me to assume that an AI would definitely be able to do the former soon, yet not the latter. I think it could be reasonable to believe it will be able to do neither or both soon, but I don't understand how we can expect the ability line to just happen to fall between software and pretty much everything else.

[horsawlarway]

This somewhat falls apart the second you realize that current models are already choosing which tools to use all the time. You can argue that's not "desire" but I'm not sure you'd convince me.

Frankly - even the other end of your argument is weak. Humans don't particularly want to control air traffic either (otherwise why are we having to pay those air traffic controllers their salaries to be there?). They do it as a function of achieving a broader goal.