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?
Hi. My name is Helio Costa, and I am Project Manager in a Mobile Power Plant company. My main concern about using AI to create prompts for project management is to generate a generation of lazy professionals, who don't want to think themselves about structures, contents and so on, trusting solely on what the AI devices brings up when requested. Luckily, this can be used as a tool to optimize the process but can't be trusted blindly. The professionals must be responsible enough to be responsible for the information they are sharing inside and outside their companies. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
AI will change the way PMs do some of their daily tasks. It will likely make him/her more valuable initially, but as AI becomes more common, it will not be a game changer anymore. Saving Changes...
Amanda JohnsonMBA, MSM, PMP, PSM I, LSSYB| NoneMontevideo, Departemento de Monevideo, Uruguay
I think the more yosu can know about any tool and translate that into how it makes more money or cuts more costs, thus making more money, to a company automatically makes it and you a commidity. The only thing US-based companies are interested in, with very little exception, is shareholder profits, so the more money your skill puts in their pockets the more valuable you and your skillsets are to a company. Saving Changes...
Prompt engineering can certainly streamline routine tasks like scheduling and risk assessment, making them more accessible and less manual. This could lead to a sense of commoditization, especially for skills tied to repetitive processes, as I am thinking of it now.
However, the real potential lies in differentiation. The real value of GenAI isn’t just in automation but in how project managers use it to enhance strategic decision-making. Crafting effective prompts means understanding context, stakeholders, and project specifics. PMs who can leverage AI to predict outcomes, optimize resources, and tackle complex challenges will stand out and command higher value. It’s all about combining domain expertise with smart, data-driven insights. Saving Changes...
I've heard several conversations about the pros & cons of AI and the PM role. After considering them and learning more about the power of AI, I lean toward the thought that AI can empower PMs to differentiate themselves. I'm learning that AI can cut out some of the "busy work" or redundant tasks to improve efficiencies of PMs and allow us to focus our efforts on more strategic, directional tasks. Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
In my opinion, the answer is "not yet." Generative AI is still in its infancy, and it’s difficult to predict exactly how it will evolve or impact the project management role in the future. After reading Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari, I have some concerns; it’s possible that companies may attempt to shift certain responsibilities away from project managers to take advantage of GenAI’s capabilities. While this could bring efficiencies, it might also reduce the uniquely human aspects of the role, like strategic decision-making and team leadership. Saving Changes...
Trent LeopoldSr. Analyst| DallasCedar Hill, Tx, United States
AI prompt engineering will most certainly help Project Managers and Business Analysts deliver more value. We MUST remember to utilize AI for the betterment of society for all of humanity, including better mental health for human beings by reducing human brain strain while simultaneously delivering iteratively and continuously better outcomes. AI offers an opportunity for humans to reduce their striving toward human doing and become more of the human being that we are. Saving Changes...
Evelyn FarfanAssociate Quality and Compliance Manager| AstraZenecaGothenburg,, Sweden
I believe that while prompt engineering will give the opportunity to many to do different PM tasks, it does not give the user the experience to fully understand the outcome of the prompt. As for that, you need an expert combination of technical knowledge, soft skills, and strategic thinking, which I believe command higher value. Saving Changes...
Diana GarciaSenior Analyst and Developer| Deacero S.A.P.I.Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
I think that using it appropriately, taking into account ethical issues and confidentiality management, can help generate greater value in projects. It is the responsibility of project managers to prepare themselves adequately before starting to use it and to adapt it according to the needs and policies of the organizations. Saving Changes...
Lisa McCaffreyStrategic Development Manager| HP, Inc.Beaverton, Or, United States
AI helps humans to be better humans. Those PMs with experience and education will write prompts reflective of their knowledge. Experienced PMs will leverage their knowledge to invalidate AI hallucinations. Saving Changes...
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