Benefits of AI (and drawbacks) for project management teams

The era of artificial intelligence (AI) is upon us. Once a topic of speculation for futurists and sci-fi writers, modern AI technology now affects how we work, play, and live.

The introduction was subtle, starting with AI-powered chatbots, grammar checkers, and personal assistants. Now, technological developments are gaining steam, with ChatGPT and generative AI shaking up creative fields and self-driving cars just around the corner. 

For project managers, the impact of AI systems is apparent. You’re probably already using AI tools, and greater adoption is coming. Learning more about the benefits of AI, its downsides, and its potential impacts will position you to lead the charge of the AI revolution within your organization.

What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

Artificial intelligence enables a computer to think and learn independently. Complex algorithms let a machine process inputs, learn from them, and solve new problems using this knowledge. But AI isn’t only about automation; AI technology encompasses a broad spectrum of skills. 

An AI falls into one of the following categories based on its capabilities:

Weak AI

This is the AI technology you’re familiar with. These programs focus on a single task and cannot perform beyond their limitations. Examples include:

• Customer service chatbots

• Email spam filters

• Digital assistants like Alexa or Siri

• Self-driving cars

• Fraud detection and facial recognition programs

• Navigation tools like Google Maps

• Spelling and grammar autocorrect apps like Grammarly

• Content recommendation algorithms from Netflix and Spotify

Artificial general intelligence (AGI)

Scientists are hard at work developing strong AI applications. AGI programs would theoretically match or exceed human-like intelligence. The hope is that strong AI will not only master a predefined skillset but will also adapt dynamically to any decision-making environment. The technology would require significant advances in computer science, supercomputing, and machine learning.

Artificial superintelligence (ASI)

Super AI is the stuff of high-concept science fiction. This technology would have the capacity for self-improvement, becoming more intelligent than every human in all disciplines. Scientists and philosophers debate whether this technology is achievable at all.

What are the benefits of AI?

Artificial intelligence boasts numerous benefits that impact your personal and professional life. Here are a few areas where using AI can yield impressive results:

Predicts future trends

Artificial intelligence analyzes large amounts of data to identify trends and patterns in consumer behavior, media coverage, brand reputation, and more. AI models based on this analysis help organizations improve the accuracy of their predictions and make evidence-based decisions and plans to guide long-term strategy.   

Reduces human error

By eliminating human error, AI can significantly improve the accuracy and precision of decisions. Unparalleled data analysis and deep learning capacity work to process data faster and more repetitively than any person without getting tired or making mistakes. 

This makes AI the ideal candidate for risky tasks in hazardous environments, such as undersea welding and bomb defusing. These tasks require focus and accuracy that humans may struggle to maintain over extended periods.

Reduces bias

Humans are often emotional and irrational, allowing personal bias to cloud judgment and decision-making. AI relies exclusively on data, allowing it to take a rational, evidence-based approach to organizational choices, such as hiring or awarding contracts.

However, an AI is only as good as its training data. Many datasets include unreliable or biased info that can taint results. In these instances, AI is best employed with meticulous ethical safeguards (more on that later).

Drives innovation

AI is a primary driver behind the development of other disruptive technologies, such as autonomous vehicles or the internet of things (IoT). These innovations could assist in solving humanity’s most significant challenges, such as climate change and food insecurity.

What are the disadvantages of AI?

As with any technology, AI has both benefits and drawbacks. People must weigh AI’s advantages and disadvantages before integrating the technology.

Here are some potential roadblocks in the application of AI: 

High cost

An AI that can simulate human thought requires significant time and resources. Engineers need the latest hardware and software and must update it regularly to keep pace with technological advances. 

Replaces jobs

Workers have always been anxious about being replaced by machines, but that doesn’t make the concern any less valid. Equipping robots with AI makes them better at performing manufacturing jobs, and customer service bots can manage interactions more efficiently, displacing humans from these roles. In these cases, employers should provide opportunities for workers to retrain for other jobs.

Creativity gap

Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, scrape the internet for their knowledge base, rendering them incapable of generating novel answers to problems. They rely solely on historical data, making the technology incapable of “thinking” beyond established parameters. 

Limited capacity to improve

AI comes pre-loaded with facts and experience. It can analyze data and perform its intended tasks better than a human. Unlike humans, current AI can’t self-assess to identify potential improvements or efficiencies. It can’t adjust its code or adapt to new roles without input from people.

No ethics

Morality and justice are difficult to incorporate into a computer program. A decision from an AI algorithm might be correct, but these programs are rarely concerned with ethics. The inability to integrate morals into artificial intelligence – or worse, an algorithmic bias entered into the programming – leads some to fear that AI technology will someday make pivotal decisions with grave consequences for human beings.

The benefits of AI tools for project management teams

Researchers expect AI systems to perform 80% of daily project management tasks, freeing you to pursue strategic, high-value initiatives. This newfound efficiency will empower your project team to establish a better work-life balance, further enhancing their work performance. 

Here are a few ways AI systems and project managers are already collaborating:

Increases productivity

Organizations typically adopt AI programs as productivity-boosting tools. In addition to tackling multiple tasks simultaneously, artificial intelligence applications can identify the ideal timing and prioritization of crucial action items. AI technology ensures:

1. Staff works efficiently on jobs that maximize value for the organization

2. Resource allocation is well-balanced

3. Uncertainty is reduced via best and worst-case modeling

4. Operations are grounded in realistic priorities and expectations, so projects are delivered on time and under budget

Automates processes

AI tools automate numerous tasks using robotic process automation (RPA), which handles repetitive jobs such as cross-checking invoices or ordering materials when inventory levels drop below a certain threshold. Additionally, AI programs with natural language processing can automate note-taking, providing your team with essential information more quickly and efficiently.

Rapidly processes large datasets

IT project management presents unique challenges regarding information processing. AI tools filter data, analyze trends, identify patterns, and predict outcomes that would require months of research for a human. AI models allow you to better plan projects, allocate resources, and manage risk. You’ll improve performance, productivity, and project outcomes. 

Minimizes communication overload

A project generates rapid-fire communication, and the pace of emails and DMs becomes especially frenetic when things go awry. Information overload can distract from time-sensitive decision-making.

With AI, you streamline data collection, analysis, and reporting, minimizing back-and-forth between colleagues. You can quickly determine the right decision for your team. 

Lets you focus on essential tasks

Incorporating artificial intelligence into your project management practice frees you to spend time on strategic initiatives that advance your organization toward its goals. Instead of getting bogged down on menial tasks, you can leverage soft skills like leadership, negotiation, and communication to inspire and motivate your team.

Why join the digital dance?

Although a fully automated workplace is still years away, it’s not too early to prepare yourself and your team for the AI revolution.

Recognize that artificial intelligence is an opportunity for positive change within your profession. It’s coming, and there’s no avoiding it. Learn as much as possible so you’re ready when it arrives.

Next, plan for AI adoption so you’ll have the skills, equipment, and resources to transition as seamlessly as possible. Then, you can explore existing AI tools and assess what will benefit your team. You’ll become more comfortable with the technology, better understand your needs, and avoid potentially costly mistakes.

Final words

Tempo is ready with solutions to help you embrace AI-powered project management. Our Timesheets application leverages artificial intelligence to optimize time tracking so you can improve productivity, accounting, and resource forecasting. Customers have already seen the benefits, logging their time almost 50% faster since the launch of AI capabilities.

Even more promising, every Tempo product is fully Jira-enabled, so you don’t have to give up your favorite project management tools. Try Tempo today.