Will the widespread adoption of prompt engineering commoditize project management skills, or can it help PMs differentiate themselves and command higher value?

Hi Sergio.

Respectfully, I don't agree with your statement. Poor management of good tools undermines any technical standards. Furthermore, AI is meant to be applied as a time-saving support tool and cannot take on management responsibilities.

Thank you, Sarah, for initiating this important discussion—and Sergio, I appreciate your bold perspective. The idea that generative AI has rendered traditional PM and BA roles “dead” is certainly provocative, and I agree that the PMI’s free courses on GenAI and the three-layer model offer valuable insights into how our profession is evolving.

That said, I’d like to offer a slightly different take—not on the end of project management, but on its transformation.

1. AI Needs Oversight: Generative AI is powerful, but it’s not infallible. Without the supervision of an experienced PM, AI outputs can be flawed or even harmful. The principle of “garbage in, garbage out” still applies. Human judgment remains essential.

2. Data Quality is Critical: The effectiveness of prompt engineering depends heavily on the quality of the data it draws from. Only a seasoned PM or BA can reliably detect hallucinations or inconsistencies in AI-generated content.

3. Prompt Engineering is a Skill—Not a Shortcut: Crafting effective prompts is an iterative, creative process. Experienced PMs are more likely to generate prompts that yield meaningful, context-aware results.

4. Structuring Data for AI: One of the most valuable emerging roles for PMs is ensuring that project data is clean, well-structured, and AI-ready. This foundational work is critical to unlocking AI’s full potential.

5. Differentiation Through Integration: I strongly agree with Md. Golam Rob Talukdar's comment that while AI may streamline certain tasks, PMs who combine technical fluency, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking will continue to command high value.

6. AI as a Productivity Multiplier, Not a Replacement: In the short to medium term, AI will augment—not replace—project managers. It will automate routine tasks, freeing us to focus on leadership, innovation, and stakeholder engagement.

7. Ethical Leadership is Key: As experienced PMs, we have a responsibility to ensure that AI tools are used ethically and transparently. Our track records of integrity position us to lead this charge.

In short, I don’t believe our roles are dead—they’re being redefined. Those who embrace AI as a partner, not a threat, will find themselves more relevant than ever.

I would say I agree very much.

I think that we will need to embrace the changes Gen AI will bring to our roles. Use common sense, caution and knowledge to learn and grow. These tools should provide efficiencies and potentially better output. As long as the foundation of what each of the roles is based on are utilized, our skills should be enhanced. This is the largest leap in the era of technology, and I think will prove to be more reason for the importance in our roles in the workforce.

Agreed-- the way that we think about project management and dozens of other roles becomes outdated in the face of generative AI. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing for our roles and responsibilities to evolve over time, especially as we all strive to keep up with technological advancements and want to further our knowledge and careers, but it is a reality that we need to face. The most interesting piece to me is that, while AI has been around for many years, it's taking off now and the parameters around its usage and expectations for safety, security, etc. seem to be poorly formed and vary greatly between individuals, organizations, fields, and so on. I'm curious to see how these expectations become norms - or if that's even possible with something as rapidly evolving as AI.

Prompt engineering won’t commoditize project management skills— it’ll highlight the PMs who know how to use it well. AI can help generate plans, risk logs, and comms quickly, but it can’t replace the judgment, people skills, and situational awareness that a great PM brings. Prompt engineering is a tool — the value still lies in how we use it. PMs who embrace it can move faster, think more strategically, and stand out. Those who ignore it? They risk becoming less relevant. In short: AI won’t replace project managers — but project managers who use AI will definitely have the edge.

Excellent discussion, Golam Rob. I firmly believe that prompt engineering may streamline certain aspects of project management; skilled project managers who combine technical knowledge, soft skills, and strategic thinking could continue to command higher value.
Additionally, adopting prompt engineering will give value to the project as you combine new technologies, technical knowledge, soft skills, and strategic thinking that differentiate them and command higher value in each project and process phase.
Outstanding discussion; I really enjoyed it.

I agree. Prompt engineering provides structure but the content within that structure is still defined by PM. Project manger can defferentiate him/her self in this arena and demand higher value.

Agreed, AI will never be human. A PMs knowledge and ability to take initiative to source new info to train the AI will always be necessary.

From a PMI practitioner’s perspective, I don’t see prompt engineering commoditizing project management skills - in fact, I see it amplifying the distinction between task-oriented PMs and value-driven PMs.

Prompt engineering on its own is becoming a baseline digital literacy, much like Excel or scheduling tools once did. What differentiates PMs is how they apply GenAI: translating ambiguous stakeholder needs into clear objectives, applying judgment, ethics, and domain context, and making decisions under uncertainty—areas where human leadership remains essential.

High-value PMs will use prompt engineering to:

• Accelerate insight generation (risk analysis, scenario planning, lessons learned),
• Improve communication quality across diverse stakeholders,
• Enhance decision-making rather than replace it.

Those who rely solely on tools may face commoditization, but PMs who combine AI fluency with leadership, systems thinking, and business acumen will command higher value.

The opportunity for PMI, in my view, is to frame GenAI not as a technical skill alone, but as a strategic capability embedded within the PMI Talent Triangle - especially power skills and ways of working.

Totally agree!

I agree. It woulkd definately coomand the higher value as it actually could prove to be the informed and structured prompting that PMs would be guided for through this.

Agreed. AI is not infallible, and certain checks from actual humans are needed to verify its accuracy. Also, leadership skills are inherently human, and the coordination and communication from an actual human is needed for effective project management. AI should enhance PM skills, not replace them.

Hi Esha,
In my opinion, GenAI is a very useful tool that increases efficiency by reducing the time spent on tasks ranging from simple, routine and repetitive activities to more complex analytical processes. I agree with you, Esha, that it makes us more productive. However, I would like to raise a small ethical point regarding the Jevons Paradox as it applies to AI and automation. If we are more productive, will that lead to an increase in workload, resulting in more projects and tighter deadlines? This could cause more stress and leave people with less free time.

BR,

Yolanda V.

Good example. I thinks we should all be a little more cerative in testing - and expanding - the boundaries and posiibilities of AI. Thanks for sharing the example.

I enjoy the head chef analogy that you are responsible for the quality and execution of all dishes that leave your kitchen.

This is good food for thought. Even with AI involved, the project management community consists of individual professionals who work together to help projects be successful. To replace these individuals with AI solutions puts the foundation at risk. How would AI be accountable and responsible?

Couldn't agree more, Mr. Freeman!

From my experience as an administrator and consultant, I'd add that true professional differentiation happens at the intersection of technology and human context.

What resonates most is the focus on "experimenting and identifying new use cases." In my renewable energy projects, I've found that modeling the problem domain first (as I would in software architecture) before applying any technology yields superior results. AI can automate tasks, but structuring problems properly remains a critical human competency.

I agree we're just beginning to understand the transformative potential. Working "backwards" from our project goals (my planning approach) could reveal AI applications that don't just automate existing processes but create entirely new possibilities in managing complex multi-stakeholder projects

Absolutely agree — GenAI represents a significant inflection point in the evolution of project and program management. While it may commoditize certain repetitive or administrative PM functions, it also elevates the strategic ceiling for those willing to use it creatively and responsibly.

As stewards and enablers of delivery, we should view ourselves not just as users, but as owners of how these tools are introduced, trained, and scaled within our teams. This shift brings not only opportunity, but also a responsibility to manage challenges such as over-reliance, bias in AI outputs, and the loss of human judgment in nuanced decision-making.

Recent research supports the transformational impact of GenAI in project management:

PMI’s 2023 Pulse of the Profession Report found that organizations using AI and automation tools in project management saw a 33% increase in project success rates, largely due to better risk identification, scenario planning, and stakeholder communication.

A McKinsey study on AI in operations (2022) highlighted that teams integrating AI into project tracking and resource planning reported up to a 20–30% reduction in schedule slippage and budget overrun — key indicators of project risk.

In a 2023 Harvard Business Review analysis, AI-supported PMOs were shown to accelerate decision-making cycles by 40%, especially in cross-functional settings where task interdependencies often create complexity.

AI is good tool. Again a tool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When efficiently adopted, Gen AI streamlines time-intensive activities, enhances productivity, and elevates operational standards while human expertise remains the guiding force.

Great points!

Great points!

Agreed. Currently, AI is being leveraged as helping hand to project manager where responsibility of input and output lies with PM only. These differences can be narrowed down as we move forward excelling AI adoption to help PM more efficiently.

I agree!

Great points, Sarah! I completely agree that generative AI is reshaping the role of project managers, much like computers did in the past. While these tools enhance efficiency, human oversight remains critical to ensure accuracy and alignment with project goals. As AI adoption grows, project managers must focus on integrating these technologies effectively while maintaining control over outcomes.

I agree, Gen AI is a tool, not a replacement.

Agreed - there is a level of discernment and stakeholder management that Gen AI cannot replace.

Absolutely agree, Olaitan. Prompt engineering is becoming a key capability in project management, enabling faster adaptation, better decision-making, and higher value delivery in an increasingly disruptive environment.

I agree with you Baba

I naturally share your vision on that matter. As project managers we need to adapt to our environment to run our projects efficiently. Prompt engineering whether we follow the movement or not, is already part of the future of our industries.