On November 21st, PMI Mass Bay chapter was pleased to collaborate with Northeastern University’s Project Management Club in hosting a Project Management Career Panel! Composed of 4 project managers, (Punam Gaikwad, Sahil Gaba, Lewis Lau, and Surabhi Bhatt), and facilitated by PMI Mass Bay Chapter President, Chet Leng, this panel shared their experiences with a focus on the emerging artificial intelligence technologies and their impact on the future of PM.
Students and chapter members were invited to ask questions regarding concerns on exploring AI as a beginner, obtaining AI literacy, and implementing these tools to enhance how we manage people. Here are some of the biggest questions our panelists discussed.
How do you use AI in your current role?
Across their roles in project management, the panelists are integrating AI as a practical accelerator to assist them in completing tasks like note taking and designing new workflows.
For Sahil, AI has helped him to streamline his tasks, giving him more opportunity to hone soft skills to effectively manage his team past logistical concerns.
Surabhi introduced a method to transform a user story into detailed multi-step processes for tasks in her role.
Punam dove deep into the capabilities of these new tools, and she has even created a copilot agent to assist her in tasks such as creating tickets, saving her ample time in day-to-day tasks. Lewis cited AI’s potential in life science to assist with tasks such as automation of manufacturing, drug discovery, or running simulations.
So, who should be incorporating AI into their workflow?
The panelists unanimously agreed that every project manager can benefit from using AI to lighten the load of repetitive or time-consuming tasks. They emphasized the importance of cultivating a learning mindset, both individually and within teams as AI continues to rapidly evolve. For students, staying current with new tools not only makes day-to-day work easier but also helps strengthen the soft skills essential for future PM roles.
Getting started– what does it mean to be AI literate?
The first step to becoming AI literate as a beginner starts with exploring the most basic AI tools. Sahil suggested that new users start with researching the question, “What does AI do?” to get an idea of the endless list of things AI can be used for. Sites like learn.microsoft.com offer courses and useful other resources.
Surabhi encouraged those new to AI to start with the basics, beginning with tools like ChatGPT and learning the fundamentals of prompt engineering. New users should treat AI like a conversation, following a clear and structured way of feeding it the information or task you are interested in. By mastering this, we can understand the use cases and eventually be able to pinpoint when and how we can use AI to assist us in our PM responsibilities. The possibilities become endless!
With the rapid release of new AI programs, Punam recommended that attendees continue to experiment with new tools daily. Exploring platforms like openrouter.ai can help us stay up to date.
While exploring all these new possibilities, Lewis reminded us to be aware of the limitations as well. For those in life sciences, it’s important to be mindful of sharing sensitive information as companies may still restrict AI in some areas.
Will AI eventually replace project managers?
In the age of AI, soft skills are more important than ever! AI is a great tool to offload tedious tasks, but it is not taking away the way we have conversations as people. In fact, it enables us to dedicate more time to having conversations with our team instead of focusing on tedious tasks.
All of the panelists emphasized the importance of human connection. Sahil noted that tools like ChatGPT and Copilot can’t anticipate unknown risks or consistently interpret nuanced situations the way an experienced PM can. AI also isn’t equipped to navigate conflict with emotional intelligence. Lewis reinforced that strong listening skills remain fundamental, and Surabhi added that project management is still 80% people management and only 20% tools—which is why PMs remain essential, even in an AI-driven world.
Beyond AI
The panel also answered questions from current PM students at Northeastern, sharing their individual journeys from entry-level roles to informally managing projects, and eventually stepping into formal PM positions. Surabhi emphasized the importance of being inquisitive when trying to get involved in a project and preparing for future opportunities..
One student asked which certifications to pursue during their time at Northeastern—and whether it’s possible to have too many. Lewis noted that having multiple certifications isn’t a drawback at all. Sahil agreed that certifications are valuable, but also emphasized that many skills can only be learned on the job, not through an online course.
Much like the discussion on AI, the panel’s responses reinforced a key lesson for current students: never stop investing in your education. Whether it’s earning certifications, gaining hands-on experience, or exploring new work opportunities, choosing to keep learning opens doors.