Understanding AI in Project Management
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
Keeping Up With AI In Your Industry Or Profession
by Lenka Davis
We are all probably feeling the continuous need to keep up with the latest news on AI. I am not sure anyone feels that they know enough about AI in general nor do they know enough about how to best use AI in their area of expertise or industry they work in.
Keeping up with the latest AI enabled features for apps, tools and technologies you use daily can feel overwhelming. Understanding how they work is only the first part, and then using them with confidence is the second part. It becomes just another item added to your to do list.
Specifically for project managers, The Project Management Institute is trying to keep up with, and disseminate AI related information to all of their community. In a recent pmi.org article, the author wrote, “ It’s [AI for Project Management] so new and evolving rapidly, there simply aren’t any experts out there—we are all learning together.” The author’s message is to continue to learn about and to understand how AI works, in order to stay current on the latest news and trends.
PMI.org has also started an AI Digest emailed newsletter and a separate AI community webpage that gathers together all the related questions, blog insights, polls, and articles.
“93% of Gen Z employees and 79% of millennials are using two or more AI tools at work on a weekly basis, per a Google Workplace survey conducted by the Harris Poll.”
No matter what industry you are in, the following ideas can apply. To avoid the overwhelming onslaught of information about AI, stick to keeping up with AI for your needs and your industry. Focus on what you need to know so your list is doable and your learning sticks.
Stay in touch
Stay in touch with your industry or community. No matter where you work or what field you work in, find a way to stay connected to the latest news on how AI is being integrated into your profession.
Use new AI features
You can use or test new AI features to help you learn how they work. Be critical of the results until you feel confident you are getting consistent results.
Find experts
Find experts or power users that are using reliable features consistently. Anyone that has tested AI and shared results that you could learn, and then adapt to how you work.
Other areas to learn about AI
Apps that you use may have specific YouTube videos highlighting the latest AI enabled features
Professional groups may have online or in person sessions that talk about how to best use AI
Workshops with AI sessions
Conferences with AI sessions
Specialized Courses from universities or online course providers such as Udemy, Canva, or Coursera
Books - locally published or nationally published by industry experts
Books on history or latest findings of AI, such as Fei-fei Li’s book The Worlds I See and any
Reputable news sources such as Wired Magazine, the Wall Street Journal
Podcasts episodes on AI related topics
“Nearly all Gen Zers are using AI heavily at work, especially for writing emails and tackling language barriers.”
Fun Fact
AI is just gaining momentum. Email had a similar path to adoption. The usage of email has become such an integral part of our working day and it started out so long ago and ramped up adoption slowly. The first email was sent in 1971 by its inventor Raymond Tomlinson. Even though the move away from traditional email usage has begun, it is still being used and usage is projected to grow through 2027. AI will eventually allow us to use it more efficiently so we don’t spend hours reading and managing it.
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