What will NOT be replaced by AI? Post your questions for project management expert Dave Garrett by 11am ET 6 Aug 2024

@George Thank you for the question!

PMI believes that Project Managers must focus on delivering VALUE through projects, not just execute them to spec. Note that a HUMAN can be held ACCOUNTABLE for value delivery, while AI cannot.

Project Managers who limit themselves to administrative work actually DO have a problem as AI will eventually automate activities that are essentially box checking.

The saying everyone has been throwing around for the past year is that “AI will not take your job, but someone who knows AI better than you just might.” That general concept certainly applies to Project Professionals. At the end of the day, those Project Professionals that take a “wait and see” attitude are putting themselves at risk. As a PMI community, we are trying our best to help them NOT do that. Our recent research report, “First Mover’s Advantage” ( https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/benefits-of-ai-for-project-management ) helps you understand level of adoption in a way that’s pretty motivational. You should give it a read if you haven’t already.

In terms of protecting their positions and advancing their careers, project professionals need to focus on using AI as an AUGMENTATION tool. A tool to make them better at their jobs. It can easily be used to rapidly tune up their business acumen and as a coach to help develop even greater power skills. Finally, asking the right questions at the right time will be very important to your career. I offer a lot more detail in my recent PMI Blog Post, “Re-imagining the Project Manager” ( https://t.ly/sekdj )

Far from “eating a Project Managers bread and butter,” AI is an opportunity to elevate the profession.

Is that helpful?

Thank you for the question, Laura Lazzerini!

Today I would focus on using AI to make you better at the things you already do.

1. PMI currently offers a lot of training materials to help you upskill in GenAI. Those courses, free to members, can be found here ( https://www.pmi.org/explore/ai-in-project-management ). Those are must-dos, not optional to put off until later.

2. GenAI can be a great way to tune up your business acumen. It can better understand your organization and how you project fits into organizational objectives, just by asking questions to fill gaps in your knowledge.

3. GenAI is often used as a “Communications Coach”, not only to rewrite your emails – but to advise you on how you might enhance your power skills to make you more influential and effective.

Looking forward to tomorrow, I think you use GenAI to level up the way you think about your project, how deep you dive in the “hows” and “whys”. I talk more about this in my recent PMI Blog Post, “Re-imagining the Project Manager” ( https://t.ly/sekdj ).

Great (and very detailed) question, George! I’ll offer some thoughts but please tell me what you think in return. I generally think a lot of these are things AI can help with, but it’s like school/training - you get out of it what you put in.

Regarding the anchor skills you mention:

[1-A] Ability to leverage expert knowledge and express it through “ways of working, “leadership/power skills,” and “business acumen.”

GenAI can help augment a Project Professional’s skills in both of these areas. Typically, you would use it as a real time coach, filling gaps in your knowledge and asking questions about your approach “real-time” as you need the advice.

[2-A] Capacity to use critical thinking and reasoning skills to navigate a project to objective success.

GenAI can enhance your reasoning skills, but absolutely cannot replace them.

Reasoning is a key challenge for GenAI. It’s lacking today and each new version of every model/GPT promises improvement in that area. In fact, it’s the most anticipated feature in the forthcoming ChatGPT v5. Users of GenAI compensate for the tool’s lack of ability to reason through prompting techniques, like “Chain of Thought”, which break a question down into smaller chunks (as we do with a WBS) to make the smaller chunks more approachable.

[3-A] Ability to source, challenge, and refine knowledge to benefit a project.

GenAI has the ability to really supercharge your information gathering abilities, through simple conversation. The information it provides will likely represent the lowest common denominator view of how others would answer your question. So, you get back a lot of information that is up to you to vet.

[4-A] Adeptness at getting to the truth of a matter or concern.

Truth often comes down to finding a credible source. This source cannot be the tool itself, but some models do a better job of this than others. So, it’s your job to pick a tool that accurately identifies sources and to actually review the source information to ensure it was relayed correctly. I often use Perplexity.ai if I’m concerned with sourcing. Gemini if the information is “of the moment”.

Your question about the long-term implications of “an AI-centered life” are interesting as well. I think of it less as an “AI centered life” - more as an “AI-augmented life”. We’ve all gotten to the point where we no longer remember phone numbers or addresses due to everyday use of tech. I guess you could argue that we live “phone-centered" lives, but I like to think it allows us to focus on high-order thinking and issues. Clearing the “rote” data out of your brain makes space for more interesting information.

Thinking about your individual questions.

[1-B] Dilution of and base leveling of human knowledge—AI is the expert.

I think there’s a danger here. Those who are lazy enough to not apply critical thinking to answers offered by GenAI are going to be misled. They will gravitate to the “generic middle ground” that GenAI represents. AI is not the expert. YOU are the expert, who synthesizes disparate sources of information based on the totality of your personal knowledge and experience into something meaningful and right for the specific situation you are facing.

Think of it as similar to applying what we have in the PMBoK. That information represents “good practices for most projects most of the time.” Then it’s up to you to tailor them to your specific situation. You are the accountable HUMAN deciding if or how to apply all of the information you have access to.

[2-B] Proxying critical thinking and reasoning skills to one’s chosen AI adviser.

I think as we move forward, we will increasingly think of AI as an additional team member. Not as “The thinker”, but as one perspective, considered among others. You can see the beginnings of this in the recent OpenAI demos of their advanced speech interface ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uM8jhcqDP0 ). Who knows how far that will go, but from my perspective, GenAI will always represent the homogeneous “Crowd”. You and your team will benefit from that perspective in combination with the DIVERSE perspectives each HUMAN brings to the table. The best answers will emerge from this level of collaboration.

Remember, AI does NOT have:

The ability to explain its decisions or answers in any level of detail.

Common sense that comes from living in the world and interacting with others – a lifetime of “context” to draw from – essentially intuition.

The power of “caring” about outcomes that focuses the mind on the right parts of an answer.

[3-B] The inability to distinguish between one’s core knowledge and that instantaneously derived through AI

Many refer to GenAI as a “Second brain”. I think it has the potential to be an extension of your brain, especially as you use it more, and it better understands your strengths and weaknesses. We are already seeing brain interfaces being tested ( https://futurism.com/neoscope/synchron-brain-computer-interface-control-vr-headset ). So, who knows where that line will ultimately be drawn. It seems unlikely that line will become blurry in our lifetimes, but who knows?

[4-B] Indifference to the pursuit, interrogation, and discovery of objective truth.

I think we are passionate about the truth to the degree we perceive it affects our lives and the lives of those that matter to us. Hopefully that extends to our projects, which depend on truth-based decision making.

Here in the US, we are seeing a lot of indifference to the truth as part of our current election cycle. We now have too much information out there and “tribes” can create entire universes of information, bubbles that individuals can “live” within. Most people have lives to live and little time to deeply explore issues. You could see this same phenomena playing out at lower levels – kind of an extension of what we now call “group-think”. It’s incumbent upon each and every one of us to search for truth, especially truth that affects important decisions.

I imagine this problem will be a cyclical one as it has been in the past. Prior to mass communication, misinformation communicated through an oral tradition, ruled. The printing press made misinformation worse. Everyone was better informed AND misinformed. Eventually trusted media brands took hold and sourcing “Truth” became easier. I think it’s likely that technology will run through a similar cycle again that will make “truth” easier to come by.

What do you think?

AI can indeed support and enhance human intuition in project management by analyzing vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends that humans might miss. This can provide project managers with valuable insights to inform their intuitive decision-making. For example, AI could analyze historical project data to highlight potential risks or opportunities that align with a manager's gut feelings.
Regarding creativity, AI can serve as a powerful brainstorming partner, generating novel ideas and solutions that can spark human creativity. Project managers can use AI-generated suggestions as a starting point, then apply their unique human creativity to refine and adapt those ideas to the specific context of their project.
In terms of emotions, advanced AI systems are becoming increasingly capable of recognizing and responding to human emotions. In project management, this could mean AI tools that can analyze team sentiment through communication patterns, helping project managers better understand and address team dynamics. The AI could provide suggestions for improving team morale or flag potential conflicts before they escalate.
However, it's important to note that while AI can support these human qualities, it cannot fully replace the depth and nuance of human empathy, intuition, and creativity. The human touch remains crucial in:
Building genuine relationships with team members and stakeholders
Making ethical decisions that consider complex human factors
Providing authentic leadership and inspiration
Navigating highly ambiguous or unprecedented situations
Balancing competing priorities and stakeholder needs
AI can be a powerful tool to augment human capabilities in project management, but the most effective approach is likely a collaboration between human managers and AI systems, each leveraging their unique strengths.

Thanks so much for these interesting questions. I will address each of your questions in a unique reply. Regarding your first question - How do you think AI can support, but not replace, human intuition in project management?

I think that intuition is rooted in what we call “Common sense” that actually isn’t as common as we like to think – mostly because each of us has a different life experience to draw from. AI does not have the ability to think “generally” and apply a method of thinking that we refer to as "common sense." This comes from the implicit knowledge we have of the world and how it works.

Bernard Marr had some interesting things to say about this in a recent article, entitled, “AI Hype Or Reality: The Singularity – Will AI Surpass Human Intelligence?” ( https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7218597151591854080/ )

I’m not sure I can imagine a world where AI replaces the diversity of perspectives we see in the real world. At least not anytime soon.

What do you think?

Great question - In what ways can human empathy influence project outcomes that AI cannot replicate?

AI can’t be truly empathetic. It can fake it and people can even establish artificial relationships with AI, as evidenced by the popularity of sites like character.ai ( https://character.ai/ ).
Real world empathy comes from understanding based on relationships. AI does not have your personal relationships to draw upon. Your understanding/perspective on how people feel in different situations and why they feel that way. Not existing in the real world, AI does not have the advantage of your HUMAN influence, rooted in empathy. AI cannot build trust beyond reliability.

Empathy is an important pathway to TRUST, which is what matters most in our relationships. I really liked this article on trust in Psychology Today, called “The Artificial Intelligence Paradox” ( https://t.ly/fQDMC ). It relates trust back to the company we keep as professionals.

So, I think that trust drives outcomes and that trust is rooted in real HUMAN empathy and influence.

What do you think?

Love this question because it relates to collaboration, which is key to Project Management in general. What are some examples of creative problem-solving in project management that require human intervention

Assuming a brainstorming situation.

EXPERTs on your team can EDIT and VET a “DRAFT mindmap/brainstorm” starting point. This is an example of human/computer interaction that accelerates progress and quality dramatically.

Brainstorm participants can FILL IN GAPs, based on their own experience. They can also DEVELOP QUESTIONS for the AI and for the group.

The team as a whole can SYNTHESIZE the output of the brainstorm, understanding its usefulness in the CONTEXT of their project.

We discuss a lot of this sort of thing in a recent webinar entitled, “Brainstorming with AI Tools” ( https://www.projectmanagement.com/videos/942881/brainstorming-with-ai-tools )

Good question! How important is the role of a project manager in fostering team motivation, and why can't AI fulfill this role? Again, I think this comes down to TRUST.

AI does not have:

Your real-world RELATIONSHIPs

Your SOCIAL CAPITAL. As humans, we each have value to others that goes far beyond “point-in-time" motivation.

INFLUENCE, based in part on reputation and intent

ACCOUNTABILITY for the success of the project, which adds to the PM’s CREDIBILITY.

AI can fake a lot of this, but it’s not HUMAN – Humanity itself is something that we as humans, are predisposed to favor.

Is that helpful? What am I missing?

Regarding the question - How do you handle complex negotiations in projects that require a human touch beyond AI capabilities?

FACT FINDING

Facts can sway an argument. I think AI can help you find sources of truth that can support your positions in a negotiation – but it can’t BE that source of truth.

OBJECTION HANDLING / UNDERSTANDING SCENARIOS

AI can help you with objection handling – both identifying objections ahead of time and draft responses to objections, but often does so in a generic way. YOU have to refine and deliver the response.

ROLE PLAY

AI can role play with you, which is a great way to prepare for the negotiation itself.

LIVE ASSISTANCE

If the conversation is asynchronous or on Zoom, AI can help you, real-time. It can help you with language and process. This is made easier if you allow the AI to “listen in on your conversation” and just ask it to offer suggestions to optimize your position.

In the end, YOU are the negotiator, not the AI, but it can support you in the process.

Have you used AI in this way before? I have used all of the pieces, but not all of them as a unified process. What’s been your experience with this?

Regarding the question - Can you describe a situation where adaptability was key to a project's success, and how it differed from an AI-driven approach?

Anything involving UX and a unique business problem is interesting when it comes to using GenerativeAI. There are GenAI specifically targeting CX/DX/UX, but they typically simply apply well-known patterns to typical situations.

One interesting example of this today involves AI itself. Some are calling this the age of the interface, where startups are creating different types of interfaces, beyond the “ChatGPT search box”, to make the technology more useful to people who are not prompt-savvy.

GenAI has more difficulty advising on the interfaces on this front, as each situation tends to be more novel than the interfaces we typically see.

Think about Photoshop for instance. Historically, designers using Photoshop think about a toolset that mirrors real world tools and a process that is a build from the ground up. You might start with a sketch, a layer or component and build up from there. The process is ADDITIVE, and level of skill in a broad range of features is typically very important.

Photoshop now includes GenAI components that require the designer to think about the end product first – how can they describe their vision of the perfect image in the form of a prompt, iterate – then work back from that image (often SUBTRACTIVE, like sculpting) to get to the end product.

Processes and interactions are getting turned on their head and require new interfaces and experiences.

Examples of these types of situations are not as well addressed on the internet and require human preferences, experimentation and expertise.

Regarding your last question - What are the ethical considerations in project management that require human judgment over AI decision-making?

Absolutely. We have talked a lot about AI ethics in the PMI community.

To be honest, I think there is a lot of value and applicability in our code of ethics when it comes to AI ( https://www.pmi.org/about/ethics/code ).

Especially our aspirational standards:

As practitioners in the global project management community:

2.2.1 We make decisions and take actions based on the best interests of society, public safety, and the environment.

2.2.2 We accept only those assignments that are consistent with our background, experience, skills, and qualifications.

2.2.3 We fulfill the commitments that we undertake – we do what we say we will do.

2.2.4 When we make errors or omissions, we take ownership and make corrections promptly. When we discover errors or omissions caused by others, we communicate them to the appropriate body as soon they are discovered. We accept accountability for any issues resulting from our errors or omissions and any resulting consequences.

2.2.5 We protect proprietary or confidential information that has been entrusted to us.

2.2.6 We uphold this Code and hold each other accountable to it

Beyond these points, what do you think we need to put into place to address “Ethics in AI”?

Hi Booma!

Everyone’s journey is different, but for me the automation of routine tasks is far less valuable than the ways I use AI to make me a more valuable contributor to everything I do. Every day, it helps me:
- Get unstuck (“give me a first drafts of X”)”,
- Understand what I’m missing (“here’s a list of things I’m thinking about, please make it mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive”),
- Communicate more effectively (“make this paragraph half as long and clearer without losing any detail”)
- Understand context (“what does a project manager in new drug development worry most about?”)
...and more.

So I’m a big proponent of trying to use it as much as possible to understand when it does or does not make you stronger.

Having it coach you and role play with you can be helpful as well. Many project professionals could use a boost in business acumen or power skills, and AI coaching can be very powerful in both of these areas.

There’s probably a lot more to talk about here, but that’s my initial reaction.

What do you think I might be missing?

Hi Booma!

Eduin Fernando asked a similar question above, but it was just broadly about the role of human intuition. I’ll not repeat the full answer, but I doubt that AI will be replacing human intuition or experience anytime soon. Mostly because we each have our own unique life experiences and knowledge that we’ve gathered over time. That’s part of what makes me different from you, etc.

AI is just taking bits and pieces of these things that are documented on the web and smashing them together, guessing what an amalgam of all of us might do in a given situation. I think we all know that in most of these types of situations, the last thing we need is a lowest common denominator answer. We need a thoughtful solution from the person with the right experience and knowledge to offer it.

When dealing with complexity and ambiguity though, I do think that GenAI can help suggest techniques and experiments that could reduce ambiguity over time. There are also a number of machine learning tools out there now that aim to predict your chances of success. So the machines have a partner role to play when dealing with situations that demand Agility, but the human is still firmly in the driver’s seat.

Hi Thomas – Wonderful to “see” you again!

Our assumption is there will always be human stakeholders, and the AI will be directed by a human. Throughout, I imagine that PMI will be here to help those humans with frameworks, techniques, and just as importantly, a code of ethics to help guide their decision-making.

I have a question for you though. Being an expert in our efforts in Ethics, what do you think needs additional coverage, now that AI is being used on projects? It feels to me that the existing code of ethics is sweeping in its scope and robust as it stands, but maybe project professionals would need some situational guidance?

I could be completely off base though. What do you think?

Hi Jack - I actually don't have anything like that. The tools are so numerous, the approaches so different and new ones pop up every day. I think it would be a good thing to try though.

I like your idea about focusing on the criteria is a good one. Many tools have come and gone within months. So, just knowing what "good" looks like makes a lot of sense.

I'll take that on as a possible side project. Would you be interested in helping build it out?