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?
ADIL SHAHOther| Emirates Intergrated TelecommunicationDubai Silicon Osasis, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Prompt engineer and learning the art of continuously modifying your question in different ways will definitely help the Projects managers. AI is no more option, but its adoption is becoming mandatory for all the PM for the know reasons. However, known and validation results are very important. Saving Changes...
Hey Sarah,
Not commoditize but a leverage to the PM who still has great soft skills, technical expertise and still flexible able to keep up with new trends. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
GenAI will undoubtedly become more and more commonplace in project management and thereby may indeed commercialize the role somewhat, however, as we have seen there is a need for human interaction to ensure quality responses Saving Changes...
Samuel Boateng OseiMs Project Management Graduate Student| Northeastern UniversityPortland, ME, United States
It depends on how PMs respond to the shift. But with the right mindset, prompt engineering is a superpower—not a threat. As a PMP-certified project manager with years of experience leading agri-tech and digital projects across Africa—and now pursuing advanced studies at Northeastern—I’ve seen how AI can transform how we work. I use prompt engineering to automate reports, simulate risks, and tailor communication for stakeholders. That frees me up to focus on what really matters: strategy, alignment, and results. AI won’t replace PMs—but PMs who leverage AI will replace those who don’t. The key is to lead with insight, not just information.
This is the future of project management—and I’m here for it.
Fascinating question! I think prompt engineering can be a double-edged sword for project managers. On one hand, widespread adoption could commoditize certain PM skills, making them more accessible and automated. On the other hand, it can also enable PMs to focus on higher-value tasks, such as strategic decision-making, stakeholder management, and creative problem-solving. By leveraging prompt engineering, PMs can differentiate themselves by delivering more innovative, adaptive, and effective project outcomes, ultimately commanding higher value. Saving Changes...
Johan MeraCEO| Inngenia SASCali, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia
I think the AI is a tool, and like a tool the use of it depends of the who used it. There are many tasks on the project management susceptible for become automated (like reports, documents, etc...) However, the soft skills can't replace, like leadership, stakeholders management, communication. Then I think this can help us to improve our performance and use our time in a effectively way. Saving Changes...
It helps simplify work!!! I have been using some genIA tools anda help me be more eficient with my work. Saving Changes...
Rachna SinghProgram Manager| AmazonBangalore, Karnataka, India
Thank you, Sarah, for opening up this important discussion.
I believe the widespread adoption of prompt engineering doesn’t necessarily commoditize project management—it actually presents an opportunity for PMs to differentiate themselves. Like any tool, GenAI’s value depends on how it’s used. A project manager skilled in prompt engineering can extract deeper insights, streamline reporting, and automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time to focus on high-value activities like stakeholder management, strategic alignment, and risk mitigation.
Prompt engineering is not replacing the role of a PM—it’s amplifying it. Those who learn to collaborate effectively with AI can position themselves as strategic enablers and tech-savvy leaders in an evolving landscape.
In my view, the future PM is not just a planner or executor, but a curator of intelligent inputs and insights—and prompt engineering is key to that transformation.
Saving Changes...
Kristina SchlumpbergerTechnical Project Manager| Last Rev, LLC.Austin, Tx, United States
I have been able to use several tools to help with productivity. I think this new wave of gen AI will only help skilled PMs demonstrate their value faster. It will only take away if someone refused to learn the tools. Saving Changes...