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 GenAI and prompt engineering will have a dual impact on project management. On one side, they will commoditize routine and repeatedly performed tasks such as drafting reports, creating schedules, or synthesizing meeting notes. This automation frees up valuable time, but it also means those specific skills may lose their uniqueness.
On the other side, PMs who can apply GenAI strategically will truly differentiate themselves. Using AI to drive insights for decision-making, enhance stakeholder communication, and proactively manage risks will elevate the role of project managers. These are areas where human judgment, leadership, and contextual awareness are irreplaceable.
It’s also important to note that security and ethical considerations remain major concerns. Human interaction and oversight cannot be avoided, as trust, accountability, and compliance are critical in delivering successful programs.
Hi Sarah, great topic!
I don’t think prompt engineering will commoditize PM skills — it will raise the baseline. Basic tasks may get automated, but the real value of PMs comes from connecting AI outputs to strategy, building trust with stakeholders, and spotting creative ways to use GenAI.
In other words, knowing what to ask and what to do with the answers will matter more than ever. PMs who embrace these tools while doubling down on soft skills will stand out, not fade away.
Project managers need to leverage on AI tools to improve productivity within a rapidly changing and disruptive technological environment. Embracing prompt engineering will therefore add value to project managers and facilitate the process of adapting to the emerging world Saving Changes...
Hisham Abdul WahedDirector, Project Management Office| EVOTEQUnited Arab Emirates
I agree with the opinion that AI will add to Project Managers and will empower them, but it cannot replace them.
AI is a great tool to learn and to utilize in project management. However, understanding what action/output AI is required to be consulted for, feeding AI with the proper information, validating the AI outcome, and using & communicating the AI outcome .... all these are still required to be performed by Project Managers.
Project Managers leadership role will still be required. They will still lead the communication, manage stakeholders' engagement, and all the other domains of project's management. Saving Changes...
Jason MrozLearning and Development Manager| Compass IncBeltsville, Md, United States
May 24, 2024 5:41 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
...
With the new generation of generative AI portfolio/program/project manager and business analyst role "are dead" at least in the way they were originally defined. I think a good source to understand that are the two courses on generative AI delivered for free by the PMI, mainly if you see the 3 layer model.
I often use the analogy of the Printing Press when talking about AI as a revolutionary technology that "kills" jobs. With the advent of the printing press in the 16th century, the traditional jobs of monks who hand-copied bibles in their monasteries for general use was eliminated--though there was still a demand for highly specialized versions of illuminated texts. The role of copying texts; however, did not go away, it merely shifted because of a new technology to a more generalized group of laborers who didn't have as much technical expertise but who could use the new technology effectively to mass produce what used to be specialized. We saw the same thing with Eli Whitney's pioneering interchangeable parts in the manufacturing of firearms. There was still a niche demand for hand-crafted, specialty firearms but for the most part gunsmiths were replaced by mass production. I believe that AI will replace many of the entry level tasks done by most early project managers. There will still be a demand for highly skilled, personalized project managers; however, the bulk of project management work will shift to those who have the most alacrity with the prevailing tools and technology of the day. Saving Changes...
Jason MrozLearning and Development Manager| Compass IncBeltsville, Md, United States
May 24, 2024 5:41 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
...
With the new generation of generative AI portfolio/program/project manager and business analyst role "are dead" at least in the way they were originally defined. I think a good source to understand that are the two courses on generative AI delivered for free by the PMI, mainly if you see the 3 layer model.
I often use the analogy of the Printing Press when talking about AI as a revolutionary technology that "kills" jobs. With the advent of the printing press in the 16th century, the traditional jobs of monks who hand-copied bibles in their monasteries for general use was eliminated--though there was still a demand for highly specialized versions of illuminated texts. The role of copying texts; however, did not go away, it merely shifted because of a new technology to a more generalized group of laborers who didn't have as much technical expertise but who could use the new technology effectively to mass produce what used to be specialized. We saw the same thing with Eli Whitney's pioneering interchangeable parts in the manufacturing of firearms. There was still a niche demand for hand-crafted, specialty firearms but for the most part gunsmiths were replaced by mass production. I believe that AI will replace many of the entry level tasks done by most early project managers. There will still be a demand for highly skilled, personalized project managers; however, the bulk of project management work will shift to those who have the most alacrity with the prevailing tools and technology of the day. Saving Changes...
Haragopal MalladiProject Manager| DXC TechnologySlough, Berkshire, United Kingdom
My feeling is it will help increase the effectiveness of a Project Manager and increase the PMs value Saving Changes...
Prompt engineering won’t replace project management — it will transform it. Routine tasks may be automated, but PMs who combine AI skills with leadership, strategy, and stakeholder management will differentiate themselves and command higher value. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
May 24, 2024 4:18 PM
Replying to Esha Srivastava
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I have been using a few gen AI tools, specifically chatbots, data analytics tools to simplify my work in day-to-day PM role. They work great for prompts like summarization, comparison and some level of data mining, but there are many use case scenarios where one can't totally rely on the AI tool to get the final solution. For e.g. I tried mining a spreadsheet and convert certain texts into shorter characters required to visually represent my data into a line/bar chart. While the chatbot wasn't able to give me the final graph, it saved me several minutes in getting an excel formula with examples, that I was able to use to convert the big spreadsheet into more sensical data table, and moreover it gave me steps to quickly create the line chart that I eventually wanted. All that within 10min.
So, I see potential in increasing productivity!
Your experience resonates with mine. Thanks for sharing. Saving Changes...
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