The rapid pace of artificial intelligence (AI) development in many industries is intimidating, even for experts. We do not fully understand all the mechanisms at play, often treating AI as a black box, further fueling the imagination that there might be intelligence inside that could pose a threat. Managers and directors are beginning to wonder if their positions will be cannibalized in the next years. The crucial question to answer this is whether entire management can be encapsulated in procedures, highly detailed goals, and the best paths to solving problems.
Will AI replace project managers? Should we fear AI? What about the risks AI brings to project management?
AI is currently only and precisely statistics, while projects involve working with people, emotions, assumptions, risks, and ambiguously defined needs. Statistical inference can be helpful, but it won’t quickly replace human multidimensional thinking. Artificial intelligence is primarily a new tool that allows us to do new things and perform existing tasks faster and better. At this stage, no AI can replace multidimensional human thinking. Relying entirely on what AI produces is very risky and prone to many errors. Even simple texts require constant verification, as factual errors are common, and self-regulation and self-verification mechanisms are still limited.
If we imagine that a model could make decisions like hiring a person for a team, firing someone, planning the right sequence of project tasks, dealing with deviations from the initial plan, building relationships with clients, proposing changes to improve their processes or increase revenue, it might be challenging. Who would be responsible for bad decisions that could impact other people’s lives? Humans don’t always make decisions based solely on available data but also on experience and intuition, which is often challenging to synthetically recreate. How do you explain that hiring candidate number 2 is better than candidate number 1 when their qualifications are comparable, but candidate number 2 had done better at the interview, had more positive attitude, and seemed like a better fit for our current team?
Critical thinking and verifying what AI creates will remain crucial. I believe decision-making should stay in human hands for many years to come. As long as the quality of what AI produces is not at the level of a human, and the regulatory system controlling this area is not mature enough, AI will remain a tool. The model’s output is only as good as the input data it was trained on, posing a significant challenge in creating flexible models that simultaneously produce desired results. As the old saying goes, as long as clients don’t know exactly what they want, our jobs are safe.
How can AI help project managers now and in the near future?
We envision that someone will create project management applications in the near future, which could potentially replace all project managers or scrum masters. If someone works as a PM/SM and only moves items in Jira from one status to another, sets up team meetings, and mindlessly asks for updates every day, the future for this type of work may have a swift end. Will project management change? Obviously, it must evolve. Just as it changed before with the introduction of new methods, roles, and tools. Now, changes are occurring, and only those who adapt to operate in the new reality will remain desirable in the job market. But let’s return to pragmatism for a moment.
How can artificial intelligence help me as a project manager?
Nowadays:
- Creating various texts, job descriptions, feedback for project team members, project documentation such as Project Charter, Risk Management Plan, Scope Management Plan or improving the writing of stories and tasks in Jira
- Assisting in solving project problems and root cause analysis by simulating what the model would do in a given situation, identifying risks in its actions, etc. AI chats can serve as a yellow duck and draw attention to issues that may not have been considered. Helping in decision-making process by generating pros and cons for various decisions
- Generating project work reports and possible project risk and mitigation plans
- Supporting the generation of ideas for team integration, development plans, and setting career development goals
- Enhancing the writing of marketing texts, sales offers or meeting agendas
- Supporting the learning of new technologies and quickly understanding key issues to best leverage technology for business development and understanding tech-buzzwords.
In the near future:
- Automation of creating project documentation, project plans, and product roadmaps based on requirements and resources
- Estimating the time needed to complete a task
- Full monitoring of project work progress and automatic generation of reports for making right decisions
- Automatic generation of risks based on project data
- Automatic calculation of ROI for projects, products, and services.
Unemployment due to automation, or the creation of new jobs?
The invention of the car left many horses and cart drivers jobless but also created an entirely new branch of the economy, including mechanics, drivers, car salespeople, race car drivers, and engineers designing car parts. Will artificial intelligence render project managers and scrum masters obsolete? To some extent, for tasks that are simple and repetitive, it certainly will. However, comprehensive management will remain in human hands for a long time, not because technology cannot handle it, but because we are reluctant to relinquish control.
Banks are closing physical branches and charging higher fees for in-person customer service, promoting access to services online. The reason is simple: reducing customer service costs. If a customer can make a transfer, open a deposit, or apply for a loan on their own, the number of needed customer service specialists is reduced, saving the bank money that can be allocated to other purposes or satisfy shareholders. At the same time, the bank can invest in new technologies, data analysis to better understand customers, all processes, thus better defending against criminal activities or money fraud, and better tailoring customer support offers for managing their wealth. This is an example of a long-standing change in banking, shifting jobs from simple and repetitive tasks to data analysis, behavior analysis, security, and investment advisory.
The key skill is the ability to adapt, learn new skills, and leverage new opportunities. What has changed in the world, which not everyone is yet aware of, is that over the course of a lifetime, a person will change their job, not once, but several times, and the ability to adapt to new situations is essential for career development. The era of finishing studies or school, starting a job, and working in the same role for the next 40 years is over. People are motivated by coming to work and solving challenging problems with the right people. AI will help humans do this more often, with repetitive and boring tasks becoming less frequent. Building strong relationships will become increasingly important, while creating beautiful slides will become less relevant.
Summary
Most predictions about the future are based on what we know now and do not take into account what we will learn in the future and along the way. It all depends on how we are going to adapt under the influence of ongoing changes. That’s why predicting the future, particularly the distant future, is so difficult. It’s impossible to foresee what will happen in 5 years without knowing what will happen in the next year. I believe that humans can adapt perfectly, so I am not worried about the future. Instead, I try to understand how AI can be used to create additional value and improve current processes.
What our future with AI may look like depends on us and how we harness this revolution. It could be a world like in The Matrix. Although, I believe that thanks to the development of artificial intelligence, we will work less. Simply, due to advancing automation in many industries, current products and services will require less human labor, making a 4-day workweek or even a 3-day workweek possible. Imagine how our lives will change then, how much more time we will be able to dedicate to ourselves, loved ones, and favorite activities. The direction this revolution takes depends on us, and the coming years will be crucial, particularly in building the framework and principles of technological development. Where does the role of a Project Manager fit into all of this? In the same place as now. In organizing the unorganized, bringing together elements that will create something new, supporting experts in their work, providing the team with a broader perspective, and motivating them for further development.
Senior Project Manager at SoftServe with 6 years of experience in the Finance and Banking industry and a total of 10 years in the field of project management. Prior to his current role, he had served as an expert in teaching and learning at The Polish Accreditation Committee. He is a graduate of Cracow University of Economics, and he also enjoys wearing the hat of a home chef. His curiosity extends into the realms of psychology, leadership, and learning methodologies. He firmly believes that understanding human elements is crucial in effective project management. His leadership style is characterized by transparency, effective communication, and a commitment to fostering a positive team environment. He believes in first supporting the team, providing clear goals and the right perspective, and then allowing them the space to work. A supported team translates to a happy customer.