Will information technology project managers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Information technology project managers score 56 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 85%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 5% outright, and 10% stays with people.
- 5% AI can do it
- 85% AI helps
- 10% Needs a person
High exposure
Higher than 86% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 21 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 18 and leaves 2 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare project status reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends. AI summarizes project data into status reports readily. | 80% AI can do it |
| Develop or update project plans for information technology projects including information such as project objectives, technologies, systems, information specifications, schedules, funding, and staffing. AI drafts plan sections from inputs; PM is responsible for final plan. | 65% AI helps |
| Monitor or track project milestones and deliverables. Dashboards and tools automate milestone tracking; PM reviews. | 60% AI helps |
| Develop implementation plans that include analyses such as cost-benefit or return on investment (ROI). AI builds ROI models quickly; assumptions need human judgment. | 60% AI helps |
| Develop and manage work breakdown structure (WBS) of information technology projects. AI drafts WBS from scope; PM validates structure. | 60% AI helps |
| Schedule and facilitate meetings related to information technology projects. AI handles scheduling; facilitation needs human presence. | 55% AI helps |
| Perform risk assessments to develop response strategies. AI generates risk lists and options; judgment stays human. | 55% AI helps |
| Develop and manage annual budgets for information technology projects. AI builds budget models; accountability stays with PM. | 50% AI helps |
| Initiate, review, or approve modifications to project plans. AI drafts change requests; approval stays with the PM. | 45% AI helps |
| Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs. AI compares vendor proposals; selection and talks stay human. | 45% AI helps |
Show the other 11 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Establish and execute a project communication plan. AI drafts communication plans; execution relies on people. | 45% AI helps |
| Submit project deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards. AI checks quality; human signs off on deliverables. | 40% AI helps |
| Identify need for initial or supplemental project resources. AI estimates resource gaps; PM confirms needs. | 40% AI helps |
| Coordinate recruitment or selection of project personnel. AI screens resumes and drafts postings; interviews stay human. | 40% AI helps |
| Assess current or future customer needs and priorities by communicating directly with customers, conducting surveys, or other methods. AI drafts surveys and analyzes responses; direct talks stay human. | 35% AI helps |
| Manage project execution to ensure adherence to budget, schedule, and scope. AI tracks metrics; PM makes trade-off decisions. | 30% AI helps |
| Assign duties, responsibilities, and spans of authority to project personnel. AI drafts RACI charts; authority decisions stay human. | 30% AI helps |
| Monitor the performance of project team members, providing and documenting performance feedback. AI documents feedback notes; feedback itself is personal. | 25% AI helps |
| Negotiate with project stakeholders or suppliers to obtain resources or materials. AI preps talking points; negotiation itself is human. | 20% AI helps |
| Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems. Live problem-solving with people needs human presence. | 15% Needs a person |
| Direct or coordinate activities of project personnel. Leading people and directing work is mostly interpersonal. | 12% Needs a person |
How information technology project managers compare
All occupations (923)
Computer and mathematical (36)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $116,580 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 48,374 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +5.1% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Validate AI-drafted status reports against raw data in SQL
- Build cost-benefit and ROI models in Microsoft Excel
- Hold the PMI Project Management Professional credential
- Resolve delivery problems live with technical team leads
- Negotiate resource and supplier terms for AWS and Azure projects
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about information technology project managers and AI
Will AI replace information technology project managers?
Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly preparing project status reports and drafting project plans. Leading staff, resolving live problems and negotiating with stakeholders stay with the project manager.
Which tasks is AI taking over for information technology project managers?
Status report preparation is the most exposed task, scoring 80, because AI can collect project data and summarize trends with little input. Project plan drafting, at 65, and milestone tracking, at 60, follow because AI drafts plan sections from inputs and dashboards track deliverables. The project manager still reviews and is responsible for each output.
Which information technology project manager tasks stay human?
Directing project personnel scores lowest, at 12, because leading people is mostly interpersonal. Resolving problems with project staff in live conversation scores 15 for the same reason. Performance feedback scores 25, since AI can document notes but the feedback itself is personal.
How can information technology project managers stay valuable?
Spend the hours AI frees on judgment work. Set the assumptions behind ROI models in Excel, validate AI-drafted work breakdown structures in Atlassian JIRA, and make the trade-off calls when budget, schedule and scope conflict. Hold stakeholder negotiations and team feedback in person.
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Next steps for information technology project managers
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