Will the widespread adoption of prompt engineering commoditize project management skills, or can it help PMs differentiate themselves and command higher value?
Director, Learning Design & Development| PMIAsheville, NC, United States
Hi PMI Community! I’m Sarah Philbrick, and I work as a Product Manager at PMI with a focus on our learning offerings. As we go on this skill-building journey together, I’m excited to engage in meaningful conversations, explore trending topics, and learn from each other.
Reflecting on one such topic, GenAI and prompt engineering, I am interested to hear your perspective on commoditization vs. differentiation.
Will the widespread adoption of prompt engineering commoditize project management skills, or can it help PMs differentiate themselves and command higher value?
I believe that PMs will have the opportunity to request higher value. As generative AI is going to need a human to verify the information that it projects, there will always be a form of human interaction. I do believe that the landscape within project management is going to be deeply impacted, but more so in a good way. I believe that generative AI will maximize efficiency and will allow tools within it to be able to track projects more accurately. Leaving the project manager with more time to interact with stakeholders and the project team. Saving Changes...
Joao BaetaProject Management Portfolio Manager| NokiaLisbon, Portugal
Prompt engineering will not commoditize project management, because the quality of the output is directly related to the quality of the prompt. Project managers must clearly define objectives and structure requests effectively. Those who master this skill will drive better decisions, increase efficiency, and stand out in their field.
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1 reply by Von Karl Katindoy
Apr 17, 2025 5:39 AM
Von Karl Katindoy
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Well said. As my teacher recently pointed out, AI is more of a high value tool to leverage, it cannot at this point completely replace the human component even in the PM context.
Saving Changes...
Von Karl KatindoySDCM Learning & Development Department Head| Bank of the Philippine IslandsRosario, Pasig City, Philippines, Philippines
Apr 16, 2025 5:44 PM
Replying to Joao Baeta
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Prompt engineering will not commoditize project management, because the quality of the output is directly related to the quality of the prompt. Project managers must clearly define objectives and structure requests effectively. Those who master this skill will drive better decisions, increase efficiency, and stand out in their field.
Well said. As my teacher recently pointed out, AI is more of a high value tool to leverage, it cannot at this point completely replace the human component even in the PM context. Saving Changes...
As usual it depends by the project and by the task. A smart PM will be always better than a non-smart PM with prompt engineering commoditize project management skills. I think that the goal of prompt engineering commoditize project management skills is to enhance the average of the PM skills and reduce bad things (lost of time, errors, ...) Saving Changes...
The rise of prompt engineering will not commoditize project management skills—but rather elevate those who embrace it. Project managers who learn to harness GenAI as a strategic partner will stand out by streamlining workflows, extracting insights, and driving smarter decision-making. In a world of automation, it’s not the tool that adds value, but the professional who knows how to use it wisely.
The world is chaging rapidly with the advent of 4IR. AI is playing a significant role in shaping our lives. It is essential for us to adopt to the changing environment and use AI efficiently to save time and money for our projects. In this regard, Prompt Engineering will definitely help the project managers improve their skills which can lead to higher value. Saving Changes...
Artificial intelligence has a profound impact globally, and consequently, the methods and efficiency of project management are also undergoing transformation. The emergence of prompt engineering enables professional project managers to conveniently utilize large language models (LLMs) to perform tasks such as creating tables and summarizing information, thereby accelerating workflows and enhancing project management efficiency. This is indeed an advantageous development. Saving Changes...
They make really good assistants but this community of professionals will always remain the subject matter experts in my personal opinion Saving Changes...
Sandra FarleyProject Manager| n/aMchenry, Il, United States
Like any new technology / tool, it's always beneficial to be open minded and learn what prompt engineering can do to enhance your deliverables. The more skills in your toolbox the better! Saving Changes...
Trevia OjajuniImplementation Project Manager| SAS InstituteNorth Carolina, United States
The stakeholders and clients we serve demand efficiency and effectiveness. AI helps us to do both. Having a wealth of knowledge, equal to multiple libraries, at your fingertips helps us to be efficient. NOTHING can supercede the human brain so PMs will ALWAYS be needed. Having AI to streamline processes and work shows our effectiveness. AI also helps us to help those we serve to understand our value better. Saving Changes...
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