August 29 2023 at 06:00AM
The State of AI in PM: Leading Project Manager Unpacks Brand New Capterra Data
Peter Taylor explores what new data on AI and PM means for your project team.
I recently considered whether AI was a threat or an opportunity, concluding that, overall, it is a good thing. But the next question becomes, how are people using AI today and what is their perception of AI in project management?
Or to put that another way, how ready is the project management field for artificial intelligence and how does the future look for gaining advantage from this technology partner?
Capterra undertook a significant check-in with the project management community with its 2023 AI in Project Management Survey* about the role and the reality of artificial intelligence in project management.
By looking at how project managers are feeling about AI's capability for project management, and how they are adopting or planning to adopt AI technology, we'll paint a picture of the now and the revolutionary future in the professional project world, along with the benefits and the challenges of overcoming barriers or resistance to this new world.
Project managers are optimistic about AI and adoption is on the rise
Project managers are optimistic about AI's capabilities for project management
KEY TAKEAWAY
The majority of project management professionals view AI as a means to streamline project scheduling, progress tracking, and team management. This optimistic outlook reflects a growing recognition of AI's potential to enhance project outcomes and improve productivity.
This optimism for artificial intelligence in project management might surprise a lot of people who are of the mindset that AI just arrived in the last 12 months.
In my book, AI and the Project Manager: How the Rise of Artificial Intelligence Will Change Your World[1], I track the evolution of AI from way back in 1956 when the phrase was first coined on the campus of Dartmouth College, but to be fair, artificial intelligence does seem to have exploded into common awareness in 2023.
But despite its apparent newness, it looks like AI is being well-received in project management today already: 80% of companies rate their level of acceptance in using AI in project management as somewhat (57%) or extremely high (23%).
Despite the potential negativity that might arise from such a transformation of a business practice, project management professionals seem to be taking AI on board in an extremely positive way.
Perhaps as the " custodians of change" in their day job, project professionals are adaptive to change themselves. Or maybe it's seeing first-hand the advantage of having an AI assistant helping them lead projects to greater success. Either way, this is an overwhelming argument for change adoption.
Organizations have a clear plan for AI adoption and integration into a project-based business
KEY TAKEAWAY
The survey reveals a strong intention among project managers and SMBs to adopt AI in project management. A significant number of companies have already implemented AI or are actively preparing for its integration. This indicates a widespread recognition of the benefits and potential of AI in enhancing project management processes and outcomes.
Before adoption can happen, there needs to be strong awareness of and then understanding of the opportunities of AI in PM. The survey found that 71% of companies are moderately (42%) or extremely (29%) familiar with use or adoption of AI in project management functions or software, which is an excellent platform for taking full advantage of the AI-driven opportunity.
The intention is clearly in place and the opportunities are proven, through the existing AI users’ experiences, and the potential that is being laid out by professional bodies and technology providers alike.
Adoption is what comes next—a great indicator of this is the state of investment plans into this technology within businesses.
The survey shows that companies expect to increase investment in AI for their project management function by nearly a third (32%), on average, by 2024, compared to their current investment.
This shows both a strong belief in the value add of artificial intelligence in this work as well as a commitment of support for gaining the advantage, as soon as possible.
Early adopters of AI in project management have experienced notable benefits
KEY TAKEAWAY
Improved efficiency, time savings, and better project outcomes are just some of the advantages that early adopters of AI in project management report experiencing. Such high satisfaction levels indicate that AI is delivering tangible value and supporting decision-making processes in projects.
Through my own speaking and social community conversations I sense that people are increasingly interested in AI and what it can do for them. Certainly, the rapid rise in AI tools such as ChatGPT and the Microsoft Co-Pilot helps.
One thing is clear—respondents to the survey strongly note their satisfaction levels with use of AI technology in project management, with 44% declaring themselves extremely satisfied and 46% very satisfied.
The sentiment is there— AI is clearly delivering tangible value and supporting decision-making processes in projects and is solid evidence for those yet to embark on the AI project management journey to get started today.
Success is already present and referenceable.
AI-powered PM software: Key functions and benefits
KEY TAKEAWAY
AI-powered PM software addresses some of the most time-consuming tasks in project management, allowing project managers to focus more on people-driven success. These tools offer automation, efficiency, and data-driven insights, enabling project managers to make informed decisions and improve project outcomes.
So why are project leaders excited about AI and what it can offer their project-based businesses?
Survey respondents say the top reasons for using PM software are managing schedules and timelines, tracking progress, and managing workloads and tasks. Notably these are some of the most, traditionally, time-consuming project management activities.
It's no surprise, then, that the top benefits of AI in project management software support the reasons listed above, including automating repetitive tasks, more effective use of resources, and more accurate metrics.
In earlier explorations of AI in PM, the theme seemed to be that change was coming and resistance was futile. This future without choice created in some cases a degree of concern or even, in some cases, panic.
In truth, it seems that the appetite to take on AI as a productive partner whilst overseeing projects is one that people are (mostly) welcoming with open arms and an open mind.
My own belief is that AI (and the features and benefits identified above) will offer project managers freedom from such tedious (and personally at least, the most boring) tasks and allow them the freedom to focus more and more on the people.
Projects are, of course, about people and not technology or process, even AI will be just another enabler to people-driven success.
Overcoming barriers to AI adoption in project management
KEY TAKEAWAY
While the potential benefits of AI in project management are evident, some barriers are hindering widespread adoption. Companies face challenges with strategic planning, concerns over ethics and security, and the perceived maturity of AI technology. Overcoming these barriers will require developing robust strategies, addressing privacy concerns, and promoting the advancement of AI technology.
So why, with these levels of satisfaction for existing adopters and with the likely benefits from investment, are people still struggling?
Well, it seems, from our survey respondents at least, that there are some significant barriers to adoption, or at least successful adoption. Of companies that are not currently using AI in PM, the top three barriers to adoption are lack of a strategy, concerns about ethics, security, or privacy, and the immaturity of AI tech.
Only 14% mention "insufficient investment in AI" as a barrier, ranking 12th in our survey, so it is not about the money. In fact, quite the opposite as we see companies expecting to significantly increase their investment for AI, as mentioned earlier.
And the track record of existing adopters also adds to the seemingly overwhelming argument to "just get going." With that in mind, here are some ideas that should help you if you experience resistance or concern in these key areas:
Strategy
Shaping an AI strategy can start in your own world, in this case project management, but rapidly become much bigger due to overall company constraints, readiness, and guidance.
The key here is to:
- Make those connections in your own organization to understand what guidelines have already been developed and who you should be aligning to.
- Work out your own business case for investment and a roadmap for adoption.
My personal advice here is to not go "big bang" on this but to secure some peripheral AI technology that might offer your own project community some time-saving or quality-improving advantages. Once that is proven and bedded in, move on the bigger stuff.
Security/ethics
This is where you need help from your own experts to assess the potential risks with any AI technology. Your organization may even have dedicated risk assessors and ethical advisors (if they haven’t now, they certainly will in the very near future).
But in reality, it is still a matter of extending what security you already have in place and what procedures you should already be following.
One consideration is that, like many such free pieces of technology, free AI tools will most likely have the small print that says whatever data you put through them is no longer yours—so just watch out for that, even more so if you are processing sensitive or client data.
Immaturity
Now this is an interesting one. Maturity.
Back to our survey, of the companies that have already deployed AI in project management, 54% are very comfortable using AI to make decisions, 44% are somewhat comfortable, and only 2% are not comfortable. So here is one example of a degree of sensible (in my opinion) cautiousness in the area of maturity. Many are not yet ready to let AI have a free rein and leave it unmonitored.
The market is exploding, and I feel that you can go and look at the niche providers and the true innovators or you can go mainstream with the major players, it is really your decision. But whatever you select (and it may well be a mixture, why not?), monitoring the initial output and guidance, and validating for a period of time is the sensible approach.
The future of project management is AI powered, an argument that is supported by a solid body of evidence from the early adopters in our survey, and what you should be doing to not get left behind is simply—start! There are barriers, but clearly not insurmountable barriers.
Look forward to the future of project management and AI
The survey results indicate a very positive attitude towards AI in project management among project managers and small and midsize businesses
- The adoption of AI-powered PM software and tools presents opportunities for enhanced decision-making, problem-solving, and efficiency in project management.
- While some barriers exist, such as strategy formulation and technology concerns, the potential benefits outweigh the challenges.
- Organizations need to strategize, plan to overcome barriers, and fully leverage the power of AI to optimize their project outcomes and embrace the future of project management.
The future is bright, the future is AI (and people).
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