# AI Use in Project Management Nearly Doubles as Benefits Grow and Skills Gap Persists > APM finds AI now standard in UK projects: 70% use it, 29% plan to adopt, up from 36% two years ago. Gains span automation, risk, and reporting, but skills and security still lag. - Type: AI news - Page: https://completeaitraining.com/news/ai-use-in-project-management-nearly-doubles-as-benefits/ - Published: 2025-09-12 - Updated: 2025-09-12 - Author: Jeroen Erne - Jobs: Management - Reading time: 2 min ### AI in Project Management: Adoption Nearly Doubles in Two Years AI has moved from pilot projects to everyday practice. New research from Association for Project Management (APM) shows **70%** of project professionals say their organisation already uses AI, with another **29%** planning to implement it. Just **1%** report no current use or plans. Two years ago, only **36%** said their organisation was using AI, with **47%** planning to adopt. The shift signals a clear message for managers: AI capability is fast becoming a standard expectation in project delivery across the UK. #### Where AI Is Delivering Measurable Gains From respondents already using AI, project teams report tangible improvements across core delivery functions: - **Task and schedule automation**: 50% - **Resource allocation**: 50% - **Risk analysis and forecasting**: 50% - **Reporting and dashboarding**: 49% - **Stakeholder communications**: 43% Expectation has also shifted in practice: **82%** say they are using AI more frequently than they anticipated five years ago. #### Sentiment Has Flipped: Confidence Is High In APM's latest survey, **62%** believe the latest AI advancements will be very positive for their industry or sector, up from just **15%** in 2023. The most anticipated benefits are pragmatic and immediate: - Freeing time for higher-value, strategic work by automating admin: 49% - More accurate data analysis: 43% - Assistance in decision-making: 42% - More consistent and timely reporting: 40% Organisational support is trending the right way, with **70%** confident their employer is preparing project managers for AI, and **29%** saying upskilling efforts are underway. Only **1%** see little preparation. #### Skills, Safety, and Integration: The Real Constraints Adoption isn't frictionless. Project professionals highlight key blockers: - Technical knowledge and training: 49% - Security and data privacy: 44% - Integration with workflows: 42% - Inaccuracy or untrustworthiness at work: 41% As one project controls expert put it: you need to be suitably qualified and confident before using AI to generate work-because you're accountable for the output. New tools are arriving constantly, but implementing them safely at scale takes discipline and clear assurance processes. #### Sector Shifts: From Hesitant to Hands-On Across industries, adoption has surged between 2023 and 2025: - **Construction**: Already using AI in projects rose from 15% to **75%**; planning to adopt is 25%; not planning dropped to **0%**. - **Engineering**: Already using increased from 35% to **73%**; planning to adopt is 27%; not planning is **0%**. - **Financial Services**: Already using grew from 23% to **66%**; planning to adopt is 34%; not planning is **0%**. - **Transport**: Already using climbed from 36% to **71%**. #### Leadership Playbook: How to Turn Adoption into Advantage - Audit current AI use across projects. Map tools to outcomes (time saved, error reduction, forecast accuracy). - Prioritise high-yield use cases: scheduling, reporting, risk analysis, and resource optimisation. - Stand up an AI governance framework: data privacy, model selection, human-in-the-loop review, and audit trails. - Invest in targeted training by role (PMs, PMO, risk, controls). Pair tool training with quality and assurance standards. - Pilot with guardrails. Start small, set success metrics, and scale only after results are repeatable. - Integrate AI into core workflows and PMIS. Avoid orphan tools. Aim for single sources of truth. - Track ROI quarterly. Reallocate budget from low-impact tools to proven use cases. #### Resources Explore recent guidance and case studies from APM to align your roadmap with industry practice: [Association for Project Management](https://www.apm.org.uk/?ref=completeaitraining.com). If you're building an AI skills plan for project teams, see practical training options here: [AI courses by job role](https://completeaitraining.com/courses-by-job/) and [popular AI certifications](https://completeaitraining.com/popular-certifications/). #### Bottom Line AI is now standard kit in project delivery, not a side experiment. The winning move for managers is simple: focus on value-heavy use cases, upskill your teams, and put strong assurance around every AI-assisted output. --- This is the Markdown form of https://completeaitraining.com/news/ai-use-in-project-management-nearly-doubles-as-benefits/. The whole site is mapped at https://completeaitraining.com/llms.txt.