Report: 18% Project Professionals with AI Skills Have Practical Experience

Emma Okonji

Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading organisation for the project management profession, has revealed through its PMI research that only 18 per cent of the project professionals with artificial Intelligence (AI) skills have got practical experience.

In a statement made available to the press, PMI stated that the organisation is empowering millions of global project professionals worldwide to adopt, embrace, and leverage AI, machine learning (ML), and generative AI (GenAI). 

According to PMI, it is developing the tools, resources, and learning opportunities, including a free introductory online course entitled ‘Generative AI Overview for Project Managers’ – project professionals need to leverage AI-powered technology while preserving the human touch in project management.   

According to McKinsey, GenAI and other technologies have the potential to automate work activities that absorb 60 to 70 per cent of employees’ time today. But tools cannot automate interpersonal skills, the invaluable and very necessary skills project managers bring to projects. Communication, problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and strategic thinking – skills PMI calls “power skills” – will continue to be crucial to project success.

President/ Chief Executive Officer of PMI, Pierre Le Manh, said:  “I see an incredible opportunity to elevate the leadership role of project professionals in their organisation, thanks to the AI-driven disruption,” adding that “Project professionals are natural learners, problem solvers, innovators, and they get things done.