Can ChatGPT Replace Human Project Managers?

Abstract

This case study explores a two-year experimental initiative in which ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, was positioned as an entirely autonomous project manager (PM) within a mid-sized software development firm. The core objective was to evaluate the sustainability of AI assuming traditional human project management responsibilities, including task delegation, stakeholder communication, risk mitigation, and timeline management. Over a period of twenty months, the AI managed six cross-functional projects of varying complexity.

The article discusses the methodology, observed outcomes, success metrics, challenges, and implications of AI-driven project management. Findings suggest that while ChatGPT demonstrated competence in coordination and administrative functions, significant limitations remain in areas requiring emotional intelligence, adaptive leadership, and ethical judgement.

1. Introduction

Project management (PM) has traditionally been a human-centred discipline, balancing technical organisation with soft skills such as empathy, strategic vision, and negotiation. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence—particularly generative models such as ChatGPT—organisations are increasingly exploring the automation of roles once believed to require human intuition.

A mid-sized software organisation based in Europe initiated an internal experiment to examine whether ChatGPT, integrated with productivity and communication tools, could function as a fully autonomous project manager. Over a two-year period, ChatGPT was embedded in six software development projects, ranging from internal tools to customer-facing platforms. This paper documents the experimental design, execution, and findings, contributing to the ongoing debate surrounding the role of AI in complex human workflows.

2. Background and Related Work

Project management encompasses planning, execution, team collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. The PMBOK Guide highlights essential project manager competencies across domains such as scope, time, quality, human resources, stakeholder management, risk, procurement, cost, integration, and communication. ¹

Recent studies highlight the growing presence of AI in project management functions. Machine learning-powered tools are widely used for risk prediction, schedule optimisation, and sentiment analysis. However, the concept of AI serving as a sole project manager remains largely theoretical.

ChatGPT’s capabilities in natural language generation, decision support, and contextual understanding provide a foundation for experimentation with autonomous PM functionality. Nevertheless, previous research cautions against overestimating AI’s capacity to manage creativity, emotional intelligence, and ambiguity within team dynamics.

3. Methodology

3.1 Project Setup

Six projects were selected across different departments, including a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, a mobile application for remote workers, a data visualisation dashboard, a cybersecurity upgrade, a SaaS onboarding automation module, and an internal HR portal. ²

Each project involved a core team of developers, quality assurance personnel, and designers, with no human project manager assigned. ChatGPT, integrated via API with Jira, Google Workspace, Trello, and Slack, was responsible for full project management duties.

3.2 Configuration of ChatGPT

The AI was customised with domain-specific context and trained on internal project management guidelines. ³ Through prompt engineering, ChatGPT was instructed to create Gantt charts and timelines, assign and track tasks, moderate stand-up meetings via Slack, escalate blockers and scope creep, and communicate with stakeholders through drafted emails.

3.3 Evaluation Criteria

Project performance was evaluated using the following metrics:

Budget adherence
Timely delivery
Communication efficiency
Stakeholder satisfaction

4. Results and Findings

4.1 Strengths of AI Project Management

ChatGPT effectively managed task delegation and tracking through Trello and Jira integrations. Deadlines were largely met, and workflow consistency was maintained. Additionally, the AI’s 24-hour responsiveness proved advantageous for distributed teams operating across different time zones.

4.2 Challenges and Limitations

In certain instances, ChatGPT misinterpreted ambiguous or domain-specific requests, resulting in misprioritised tasks or scheduling errors. These limitations highlighted the AI’s difficulty in handling unclear instructions and contextual nuance without human oversight.

5. Discussion

The experiment revealed that ChatGPT can successfully handle many transactional and administrative project management tasks with high accuracy and speed. When integrated with collaboration tools, it can maintain project momentum, provide timely updates, and reduce the cognitive load on technical team members.

However, human project managers serve as mediators, visionaries, and motivators—roles that ChatGPT, despite its linguistic sophistication, cannot independently fulfil. The AI lacks the intuition required to navigate complex, unstructured ambiguity and interpersonal dynamics commonly encountered in real-world projects.

6. Conclusion

The two-year experiment demonstrates that ChatGPT, when properly configured and monitored, can autonomously perform several core project management functions. It excels in structured environments where consistency, timeliness, and clarity are paramount.

The future of project management lies in hybrid models, where AI handles routine and scheduled PM functions while human leaders focus on strategic direction, high-stakes decision-making, and organisational culture. As AI models continue to evolve—particularly in contextual reasoning and emotional recognition—their role in project management may expand; however, collaboration with human judgement will remain essential.