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Two prominent experts took part in an exciting debate session themed: Shaping Tomorrow: AI in Project Management at the 10^th Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF). They stressed the importance of leveraging AI’s advantages to streamline workflows and improve quality of life, while proactively addressing its drawbacks to avoid failures and societal frustrations.

The debate featured Lenka Pincot, Chief of Staff at the Project Management Institute (PMI), and Dr. Lavagnon Ika, Professor of Project Management and Founding Director of the Major Projects Observatory at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, Canada. The session was moderated by Kathleen Walch, Director and General Manager at PMI.

Lenka Pincot advocated for the integration of AI into daily life, emphasising the role of technology in continuous learning, data and report summarisation, and identifying innovation opportunities. She highlighted AI’s ability to save time and effort in managing and executing projects by streamlining administrative processes and project implementation.

Pincot also noted that generative AI improves productivity in project management by supporting decision-making, helping project leaders make informed decisions, and ensuring that machines do not exaggerate or inflate tasks, but rather place them within a proper and balanced framework.

She added that humans bear ultimate responsibility for any technological product since AI operates on data provided by individuals. She stressed the importance of ensuring the accuracy of data inputs, monitoring technical fraud, and mitigating risks. She urged stakeholders to use AI ethically and responsibly, focusing on its potential to benefit humanity.

Dr. Lavagnon Ika, offered a contrasting perspective, highlighting the potential downsides of over-reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) in project management and daily life. He warned that dependence on AI could lead to project failures, particularly when inaccurate data is used. He also noted that such reliance contributes to the emergence of leaders who rely on passivity and make inappropriate decisions. Dr. Ika stressed the need for caution when using AI-generated data, as errors in the data could lead to flawed conclusions. He cautioned against excessive reliance on AI, which could encourage relaxation and reduce human diligence. He asserted that transparency is critical when integrating AI into project management and broader societal applications.