Axion inflation coupled to Abelian gauge fields through a Chern-Simons-like interaction provides an attractive inflationary framework with rich phenomenology, including the generation of magnetic fields, primordial black holes, gravitational waves, and the matter-antimatter asymmetry. For sufficiently large coupling, the system enters a regime of strong gauge-field backreaction, characterized by intricate dynamics that can lead to observable signatures across different probes. In the presence of charged fermions, efficient Schwinger pair production can strongly suppress gauge-field amplification. In this talk, I will review both classical and recent developments in Abelian axion inflation, with particular emphasis on
gravitational-wave production, primordial scalar perturbations, and the dynamics of Schwinger pair production.