PMI-LA Blogs

There is no way of escaping it.

Whether it is a tech CEO lauding the future with AI, a senior leader demanding one uses AI to make work faster, smarter and cheaper, to the YouTube videos giving history lessons in that even keeled voice that we have come to know as AI generated.

AI is here and everyone has their own ideas as to what that means.

However, what does it mean for the project management industry? Will AI be able to replace the project management profession?

As a leader of the Los Angeles chapter of the Project Management Institute and a mentor to aspiring and current project management professionals, I am often asked about the security of the PM profession given the rise and popularity of generative AI.

 

The short-hand response is that AI will not replace project managers, but it will change the role and the ways a project manager (PM) works.

 

Not long ago, there was a sudden demand for project managers. Organizations had employees who were able to do and those who were able to lead but there was a need to have someone function as the connective tissue between strategy and execution. Thus, the rise in demand for PMOs and project managers, a band of organized individuals who (amongst other responsibilities) can help develop CBAs, track milestones, and develop status reports to leadership.

 

Historically, the most time-consuming aspect of the project manager’s role was the deliverables. Status reports, charters, work breakdown structures, budgets and of course we cannot forget the massive project plans needed to be developed and managed on a regular basis.

Now insert AI, and all those hours spent building and maintaining project plans can go out the window. Several different AI tools can quickly update a project plan or recalculate a budget. With those taxing items being augmented by AI, what is left for the project manager?

Just as the project coordinator role gave rise to the project manager role, now we will see an additional evolution in the project manager. With AI support in managing the administrivia, the PM shifts from managing information to managing relationships, value streams, and organizational outcomes. In other words, the Project Manager goes from being the keeper of project information to the connector of people, priorities, and decisions.

 

Now, some might say this was always the role of the Project Manager, and that the management of relationships was always just as vital as the management of deliverables. Despite the value of being strategic as a project manager, there was little time to work on strategy as the PM focused on the administrative side of projects. With AI managing the administrative, the PM can begin to move into more of a strategic delivery partner. Still acting as the conduit between leadership and “hands on keyboard” delivery teams, who better to build relationships with leaders, vendors and teams than one who has a full understanding of projects and the project lifecycle? Who else could serve as that lynchpin to influence decisions, remove roadblocks, and champion change?

Ultimately, the project manager role, will morph into positions such as a Business Transformation Leader or a Management Consultant. These are the type of roles that are usually filled by consultants from top tiered firms, engaged by an organization.

 

Does this mean those in the project management profession should rest on their laurels once they understand the impending change?

Absolutely not.

 

Now is the time for project professionals to evolve their skills and mindset for this shift, and here are four ways to get started.

PMP Certification

Ensure familiarization with project management frameworks. A project management professional will still need to be well versed in the building blocks of project management. What are those needed deliverables? Why are they important? A great way to learn the

fundamentals is to earn the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification. This gold standard for project management covers everything from project leadership, governance, risk management, and delivery skills.

Prompt Engineering

Another phrase constantly being tossed about in the sea of AI buzzwords. However, outputs from AI are only as good as the commands given as an input. Just as with any data tool GIGO is the case (Garbage In, Garbage Out). Without well-written prompts, a project manager professional will not be able to leverage AI to support in updating the administrative requirements of the profession. It will be helpful to learn what type of context is needed and how to define objectives in writing prompts to ensure the outputs are suitable for delivery.

Responsible AI Awareness

Understanding when and how to use AI is a vital skillset. There are many requests one can make of an AI tool but should we use AI for this particular use case? Should this data set be submitted through AI and what is AI bias? This understanding of AI governance is fundamental in ensuring project management professionals are leveraging AI in a manner that is responsible and efficient.

Validation of AI Outputs

Just because your AI tool of choice builds a beautiful status report in 15 minutes, does not mean you should instantly send it to your executive/project sponsor. Instead, a thorough review should be conducted prior to sharing it with your stakeholders. It should never be assumed that AI is always right or wrong. Trust but verify.

 

AI will not replace project managers, but it will revolutionize their role. As AI is leveraged to support the management of the administrative, project management professionals will be able to stretch into the more strategic, relationship building and decision influencing side of the profession. By embracing and preparing for this shift, one could see themselves well positioned to flourish in the project management space albeit with a different title and responsibilities. It is important not to try to compete with AI but to learn how to properly harness these tools as a launchpad for one’s career.