It’s hard not to notice all the news or applications coming out that are powered by AI or Machine learning. A lot of this attention was initially more around the arts and design world, with tools such as Midjourney and Stable diffusion for image generation (you may have also have noticed the featured image of this post was created by an AI tool called Leonardo.ai), but with the launch of Chat GPT of which is a tool for asking questions on nearly any topic, it has brought AI much closer to the business and working world.
Then Microsoft announced co-pilot that will be introduced into Microsoft office and will be able to write emails, summarise discussions, create PowerPoints and so forth.
This really has brought home the growing functionality of AI. Although Microsoft themselves said co-pilot will be good for creating first drafts of work and not final ones (at least not yet).
So presently it appears that for project managers, scrum masters and other managers that their roles are safe and will to a certain extent be made easier with less time on administration and more time actually working – that for now means AI brings some real positive benefits.
AI has the potential to automate certain tasks and processes that are currently done by project managers, so AI is not likely to remove the need for project managers just yet – but will lend a helping hand.
Project managers are responsible for a wide range of tasks, including developing project plans, communicating with stakeholders, coordinating resources, monitoring progress, and resolving issues. While AI can help with many of these tasks, project managers also bring important skills and experience to the table that are not easily replicated by machines.
For example, project managers (being human) can understand complex relationships between people, tasks, and resources, and to make decisions based on a range of factors, including human behavior, organizational politics, and business goals. Project managers also provide leadership and guidance to their teams, which is essential for project success.
In short, while AI can augment and streamline certain aspects of project management, it is unlikely to replace the need for skilled project managers entirely. However, a Garnet report stated project management tasks will be replaced by AI by 2030. So in the near future the need for project managers will likely change, or at least there will be a drastically altered need for project managers and what of their skills will still be required!
Chris Mitchell 