Artificial intelligence is transforming project management and requires new skills from professionals

Complex projects involve dozens of variables, including different teams, suppliers, interdependent deadlines, limited resources, and scope changes. When any of these elements deviate from the plan, the impact can be reflected in both the schedule and the budget.

Artificial intelligence can be applied in this context to analyze information, identify patterns, and alert about risks before they become bigger problems. In practice, this allows professionals to monitor projects with more data to support their decisions.

How AI helps control projects

One application is in the analysis of large volumes of data. AI systems can cross-reference information about tasks, resources, costs, and project history to highlight situations that require attention.

For example, a project may present a sequence of delayed activities. Instead of examining each update manually, a tool can indicate which tasks have the greatest potential to affect subsequent stages of the schedule.

The technology can also help in risk forecasting. Artificial intelligence models identify patterns in historical and current data, helping to detect signals associated with delays, cost increases, or resource distribution problems.

According to a survey by the Project Management Institute (PMI), professionals who use GenAI report applications in areas such as planning, risk management, schedules, and costs.

Where artificial intelligence can be applied

The technology can support different stages of a project’s lifecycle, such as:

• Planning: creation of schedules, estimates, and scenarios
• Monitoring: tracking tasks, deadlines, and indicators
• Risks: identification of possible deviations based on data
• Resources: analysis of the distribution of people, equipment, and budget
• Reports: automatic consolidation of information for monitoring

In financial management, for example, AI can compare the planned budget with recorded expenses and highlight variations outside the norm. This allows for investigating the cause of the deviation before it compromises the total budget.

AI does not eliminate the need for human decision-making

Despite its applications, the technology does not replace the judgment of the professional responsible for the project. Incomplete data, interpretation errors, and changes that do not appear in the history can compromise a forecast.

PMI itself emphasizes that more complex tasks require greater human intervention. In a 2024 study, the institute identified an increase in the use of GenAI by project professionals but also pointed to the need for training and organizational support.

What changes for those who work with projects

With the adoption of this technology, part of the operational work can be automated, while the importance of skills such as data analysis, critical thinking, and risk management increases.

Professionals can use AI to transform scattered information into alerts, scenarios, and reports, but remain responsible for evaluating the recommendations and deciding which actions should be taken.

This trend is already reflected in PMI’s data. In September 2024, a survey by the institute found that 43% of interviewed professionals who used GenAI applied the technology to more than half of their project-related tasks.

In this context, understanding how artificial intelligence works and knowing how to incorporate it into work routines becomes part of the skills required of professionals involved in projects, especially in initiatives with high data volume and multiple variables.