Can project management run on AI autopilot?

I got a 404 error for the link, but I would argue that yes, a PM should be able to use AI like an autopilot. As an aircraft systems professional however, that means something very different to me than the typical layperson.

If it’s safe enough to trust with the lives of over 10M people flying daily, why not? The fact is that an aircraft autopilot system is intended as a job aid, not a pilot replacement. First off, it only does a part of the pilot’s job, only under specific situations, and then only with direct supervision. There are many other systems on the airplane which are not under control by the autopilot such as cabin air, radio communication, lighting, etc. In fact the job of the copilot is to manage some of those other functions at times to avoid overloading the pilot. The pilot is still responsible for observing that the system is operating the flight controls as expected. If the pilot needs a break, they don’t just trust the system and walk away. The second-in-command (aka copilot) takes over for the pilot so there is always a human providing oversight.

The system does operate within a well defined set of laws, but aviation is anything but simple. (I did get a chuckle out of the notion that flight sciences, which is literally one component of rocket science, is simple and straightforward.) If something unexpected happens, the pilot immediately steps in and resumes control. Although the autopilot on some modern planes can fly an entire route, takeoff through landing, it is only performing the tasks under routine conditions with multiple types of warnings when things are no longer routine. The ability of the system to operate as expected within defined limits is exhaustively evaluated for different types of risks, tested extensively first via simulation, and then in an operational environment with extremely skilled pilots before it is approved for use. The risks are very well understood and every effort is taken to mitigate them. Sometimes it flies more precisely than a human because it can constantly receive and react to incoming data as opposed to checking and adjusting at less frequent intervals such as when flying in crowded airspace.

I would not agree that AI should be used as an autonomous PM in charge of all aspects of a project. Taking into consideration for what specific functions an autopilot controls, how, and under what set of conditions, I would say yes. It should be able to handle certain well defined repetitive tasks under normal conditions where it has been proven to operate as expected, and while there is someone constantly checking to see if anything has gone wrong and who is fully qualified to take over control.