AI will transform the role of technical project manager

To quantify this future of work, ServiceNow paired up for the third year in a row with research partner Pearson to produce the 2025 Workforce Skills Forecast. This study assesses how AI agents and related technologies such as generative AI (GenAI) will impact workers and organizations in the next five years.

[NOTE: Experienced human writers and editors used AI to help research and draft this article.]

ServiceNow and Pearson used machine learning to mine labor market data in 10 countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S.). The resulting analysis maps the changing relationship between people and AI in the workplace and predicts that AI will change the mix of skills required for people and organizations to thrive.

Long-term impacts on the technical PM role:

1. Automation of routine tasks: AI tools will streamline administrative parts of project management, such as scheduling tasks, resource tracking, and updating budgets. As a result, technical PMs will have time to focus more on strategic decision-making and team leadership.

2. AI-driven insights: Generative and predictive AI systems will help technical PMs make better-informed decisions by providing data-driven insights and project risk assessments. This could transform technical PMs into more analytics-focused leaders.

By 2030, the impact of AI and other advanced technologies on the technical project manager role will be moderate to high.

Despite AI’s potential to reshape the role, an additional 66,400 technical project managers (of all levels) are projected to be needed in the U.S. over the next five years to help enable emerging technologies across industries, according to our research. The net headcount increase for this role is projected to be the highest of any IT job we tracked. Of that increase, 30,200 are attributable to new jobs that focus on emerging technologies such as generative and agentic AI.

Technical PMs coordinate and oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of technology-related projects. They handle tasks such as scheduling, resource allocation, risk management, team collaboration, and communicating stakeholder needs, which demand both technical expertise and leadership skills. To succeed, they need proficiency in project management tools, strong organizational and communication skills, and technical knowledge, often in software development or IT.

According to ServiceNow University, the average U.S. salary for a technical project manager focusing on the ServiceNow AI Platform is $155,000. According to data from jobs site Indeed, the average salary for a more general technical PM is $115,000.

To be successful in this role, several core skills are necessary. These include both technical abilities and soft skills that help individuals work with teams and contribute effectively.

• Technical proficiency: A strong understanding of development methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum), project management tools (e.g., Jira, Trello, MS Project), and software/IT concepts to collaborate effectively with engineering teams
• Team management: The ability to guide cross-functional teams, inspire collaboration, resolve conflicts, and ensure accountability in achieving project goals
• Communication skills: Excellent verbal and written communication for presenting ideas, drafting updates, and liaising with stakeholders, clients, and technical teams
• Problem-solving: Strong analytical skills to identify potential risks, mitigate challenges, and implement solutions during the project lifecycle
• Time and resource management: Expertise in allocating resources efficiently, setting priorities, and ensuring adherence to tight project deadlines
• Stakeholder management: The ability to manage stakeholder expectations, gather and translate requirements, and foster alignment between technical and business goals

AI represents a pronounced shift in the way technical project managers work, promising to take over lower-level tasks as it rewrites workflows and elevates the role. The impact of AI (both generative and agentic) will reshape how PMs approach their responsibilities, skills, and strategic priorities.

According to our research with Pearson, a third of U.S.-based technical project managers’ tasks will be automated or augmented by AI in the next five years. Slightly more than three-quarters of that will come from the impact of non-agentic AI tools, while the rest will come from the impact of agentic AI. AI’s impact on the technical project manager role will save 13.4 hours of work per person each week—10.2 hours saved by the use of non-agentic AI and 3.2 saved by the use of agentic AI technologies.

Agentic AI tools will automate 6% of the U.S.-based technical PM role, replacing human workers with AI agents that can complete specific tasks on their own. Augmentation will take place for 2% of technical PM tasks, speeding up the amount of work they can do rather than replacing them. Specific tasks that will see the most time savings include facilitating meetings, monitoring performance of project team members, creating communication plans, and coordinating and directing people to complete tasks.

As AI becomes increasingly prevalent in the workplace, technical PMs can take the following measures to thrive and remain relevant.

• Develop AI literacy and technical knowledge: Gain a strong understanding of AI concepts, tools, and frameworks to communicate effectively with technical teams and stakeholders. Familiarity with machine learning, data pipelines, and AI ethics will position project managers as informed leaders in AI-driven initiatives.
• Focus on continuous learning and upskilling: Pursue certifications, courses, and workshops related to AI, governance, data science, and emerging technologies. Staying updated on trends will ensure project managers can adapt their strategies to incorporate innovative AI solutions and improve project success rates.
• Leverage AI tools to improve project workflows: Utilize AI-powered project management platforms for better scheduling, resource allocation, risk mitigation, and decision-making. These tools can improve accuracy and productivity, allowing project managers to supervise more complex projects efficiently.
• Emphasize human-centric leadership and soft skills: Develop interpersonal skills such as communication, empathy, and negotiation to manage diverse teams and handle AI-related ethical concerns. AI may handle data and automation, but human leadership remains critical for collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and aligning projects with organizational goals.
• Specialize in managing AI projects: Build expertise in leading AI-focused projects such as deploying machine learning systems, integrating AI with business workflows, and scaling AI infrastructure. Specialization in this emerging field can place project managers in high demand as organizations increase their adoption of AI technologies.
• Bridge the gap between AI and business goals: Act as a translator between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring AI implementations align with organizational objectives. By focusing on the value AI brings to businesses, project managers can remain key contributors to both innovation and strategic growth.

By honing these skills and adopting a mindset of continuous learning, technical project managers (and all tech workers more broadly) can maintain relevance and thrive alongside advanced technologies such as agentic and non-agentic AI. Remember, agentic AI is a tool, not a replacement for human ingenuity. By leveraging uniquely human traits, tech workers can position themselves as indispensable collaborators in an AI-driven future.

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