Four Ways AI is Transforming Project Management

Read Time: 4 minutes

The question many project managers are grappling with: Will AI replace us all?

The truth is that while artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, it’s the people—especially skilled project managers—who guide its impact. And professionals who understand how to harness AI are doing more than surviving; they’re leading.

At the Wake Forest School of Professional Studies (SPS), you’ll learn how to integrate AI into your workflow not just to stay relevant but to accelerate your career as a project manager.

Ann-Marie Dunphy

The Master of Project Management program combines foundational project management principles with forward-looking insights, empowering students to spot emerging trends and lead with confidence.

Ann-Marie Dunphy, MBA, PMP, is a faculty member in the Master of Project Management program and helped to develop the program’s AI and Data Analytics for Project Management course.

“A lot of people see AI as something that’s going to take over as a project manager,” Ann-Marie said. “But it’s really just a tool, and we’re teaching it as a supplemental tool to a project manager. You need to learn how to integrate AI and specifically generative AI.”

Here are four critical areas AI is shaping the project management field and how students can prepare now for a successful career.

Your New Superpower: Making Proactive Decisions with Data

So, the big question: What does AI really do for project managers? According to a survey by the Association of Project Management (APM), project managers use AI most often for:

Performance analysis
Data analysis

These tasks depend on spotting patterns, interpreting signals, and translating data into actionable insight. This is precisely the kind of work AI was created to do. Large language models (LLMs) built through large-scale pattern recognition are designed to support this kind of strategic thinking. With a clear understanding of AI and data analytics, project managers can anticipate challenges and course-correct sooner.

Wake Forest SPS is preparing students for this reality. In the AI and Data Analytics for Project Management course, students select a scenario aligned with their career goals and use AI to construct a data set that models the scenario, analyze that data set, and build a project plan including key performance indicator (KPI) dashboards and data visualizations.

“These are the things project managers have to do every day,” said Ann-Marie. “AI helps them do it faster. But more importantly, it helps them think more strategically.”

Accelerate Your Career Path with a Time-Saving Ally

At its core, project management is about getting the most out of limited resources. And time is no exception. AI is already helping project managers reclaim hours for higher-value tasks.

A survey by the Sweden chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI) reported that more than half of project managers have saved at least 5 hours per week through AI tools.

Savvy project leaders not only save time—they also put it to good use. In the same PMI survey, managers reported using their additional free time for professional development and strategic planning. The result? Greater efficiency and accelerated career growth.

“You normally wouldn’t get that type of activity in the strategy world until you’re much further in your career as a project manager,” Ann-Marie said. “Because the tools are going to be there to support junior or less senior project managers, you’re going to see people advance quicker.”

AI is a Universal Tool for All Sectors

About 70% of project managers have incorporated AI into their daily workflows, according to the same survey by APM. The trend spanned sectors from manufacturing to financial services and healthcare.

“Everyone’s using it for something,” Ann-Marie said. “If you aren’t going to learn to use it, you are going to become obsolete.”

AI’s versatility allows it to enhance productivity in virtually any industry. That is why Anne-Marie encourages all project managers to experiment with AI, regardless of where they work.

Build Stronger Teams with AI in the Center

Project managers are always part of a team. AI can help teams work together by enhancing expertise and speeding up communication.

Case in point: the online Master of Project Management program features a groundbreaking cross-departmental collaboration. Ann-Marie teamed up with Carm Taglienti, Ed.D, the academic director for the online Master of AI Strategy and Innovation program, to co-develop a course that blends rigorous project management exercises with opportunities for AI prompts and feedback.

“We talked about what we wanted students to take away,” Dunphy said. “As a project manager, I want to know KPIs and how to do data visualization. I want to know how to interact with the system that can give me different views of my plan. So, Carm wrote his things. I wrote my things. We looked at how we could combine them and then we created the syllabus.”

The result is a forward-thinking program that empowers project managers to lead with data, think strategically, and stay ahead in an AI-driven world.

Ready to accelerate your own project management career? Learn more about the Masters in Project Management program and request more information today.