Will AI replace information technology project managers?

Some tasks are already handled by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 2h 38m of an 8-hour shift goes to tasks that AI or robots largely take over. The breakdown: 11m done by people with AI help, 2h 38m that AI mostly does alone. The other 5h 11m (65%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 5.1% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

AI shows up regularly in 6 of 21 tasks, about 2h 49m of a typical shift. The biggest ones:

• Monitor or track project milestones and deliverables. (38m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Direct or coordinate activities of project personnel. (38m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Develop or update project plans for information technology projects including information such as project objectives, technologies, systems, information specifications, schedules, funding, and staffing. (38m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Prepare project status reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends. (33m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)
• Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs. (11m a shift, AI mostly does it alone)

5h 11m of a typical shift, or 65%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Manage project execution to ensure adherence to budget, schedule, and scope. (49m a shift)
• Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems. (49m a shift)
• Schedule and facilitate meetings related to information technology projects. (49m a shift)
• Assess current or future customer needs and priorities by communicating directly with customers, conducting surveys, or other methods. (22m a shift)
• Initiate, review, or approve modifications to project plans. (22m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 67% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important
• 67% handle conflict at least once a week
• 57% are in constant contact with other people

For the 3 tasks in this job where AI shows up and timing data exists, a typical request takes about 5h 38m for a person alone and about 29m with AI. These are Claude's own estimates from real conversations in April and May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index). They describe single requests, not whole workdays, and time saved on a task doesn't mean jobs are cut. The biggest gaps:

• Develop or update project plans for information technology projects including information such as project objectives, technologies, systems, information specifications, schedules, funding, and staffing (about 6h 20m alone, 42m with AI)
• Prepare project status reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends (about 5h 38m alone, 29m with AI)
• Monitor or track project milestones and deliverables (about 1h 14m alone, 4m with AI)

On Indeed, job postings in the IT Systems & Solutions sector are at 77% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), up 10.8% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 27,000 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $116,580 a year ($56.05 an hour), 129% above the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $55,940 and $188,470 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 5.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 495,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 27,000 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 435,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.28% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 94th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 495,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a bachelor's degree: about 38% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 4 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: bachelor's degree. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Time Management, Management of Material Resources, Management of Personnel Resources, Management of Financial Resources
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 5h 11m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Structured query language SQL, SAP software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel
• Learn to use AI well on the tasks where it already shows up in this job (listed above)

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Medical and Health Services Managers (31m touched, $124k median pay)
• Computer and Information Systems Managers (1h 40m touched, $175k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 6 observed in real AI use, 15 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.