Water transportation has a large volume and low cost, and is suitable for the transportation of bulk goods. It occupies an important position in the transportation industry. The complexity of the water transportation environment makes its safety face many problems. In order to improve the safety of ship navigation, relevant agencies and manufacturers have carried out various attempts. AIS was created based on this background. At present, AIS has been popularized all over the world and has become an important means of communication between ship and ship and between ship and shore. This article systematically introduces the composition, function and development of AIS, and provides a reference for the application of AIS.