With AI automating workflows and teams managing themselves, will tech leaders become obsolete – or evolve into the architects of a new era of leadership?
Sensationalist headlines around AI replacing human jobs usually focus on the impacts on software developers. But before we get worried about artificial general intelligence (AGI) taking over the world or the implications of OpenAI's $500 billion Stargate venture, many have more immediate concerns. Given AI's capabilities in automating tasks, analyzing data, and optimizing workflows, could project management be heading to the top of the list for automation?
Nearly six years have passed since Gartner predicted that by 2030, up to 80% of project management tasks could be taken over by AI. Last year, a PMI survey revealed that 46% of project managers felt optimistic about how AI would help reduce stress. However, 72% warned that it could lead to unrealistic stakeholder expectations.
Project managers have a unique combination of human skills that AI cannot replicate, from leadership and negotiation to strategic thinking and emotional intelligence. But I turned to a team of experts in the project management space to ask, what happens to leadership when tech teams manage themselves?
Leadership vs management in a self-managing world
Dave West, CEO and Product Owner at Scrum.org, offered a timely reminder that there is a significant difference between leadership and management. He told Cybernews, "Leadership is about setting a direction and providing an environment to support the team. Management is about telling people what to do when that direction is set."
He added that when teams are self-managed, leaders can focus on providing direction (product, professional, strategic, etc.) and helping the teams (development, impediment removal, shoulder to cry on, network support, etc.).
Moving to this model requires extensive leadership time to help teams become self-managed. Teams must ensure they feel supported and understand the guiderails.
The changing role of PMOs in a self-managing environment
As leadership evolves, so does the role of the Project Management Office (PMO). Samuel Lattimer, who heads enterprise portfolio management at Correla, believes that PMOs are transitioning from rigid oversight bodies to strategic enablers of collaboration and innovation.
"As technology teams increasingly self-manage, leadership is evolving into a more strategic and enabling role. In this context, the PMO's position as a leadership function is pivotal."
Lattimer added, "PMOs are transforming from traditional governance centers into dynamic hubs, integrating hard skills like strategy alignment, prioritization, and value delivery with essential soft skills and behaviors that inspire trust, collaboration, and innovation.”
Lattimer also shared with Cybernews why PMOs will continue to play a critical role in fostering a productive workplace that allows teams to operate with focus and efficiency while minimizing distractions.
"By creating the right environment and modeling the right behaviors, PMOs empower self-managing teams to focus on delivering impact and value, shielding them from the 'rain' be it negativity, politics, or operational distractions."
Despite the negativity surrounding AI's impacts on the workforce, Lattimer is much more optimistic.
"By 2030, leadership will act as the umbrella that protects teams and fosters a culture where people and projects thrive."
"As technology teams increasingly self-manage, leadership is evolving into a more strategic and enabling role. In this context, the PMO's position as a leadership function is pivotal,"
Samuel Lattimer.
AI-driven leadership and the reshaping of organizations
While PMOs adapt to support self-managed teams, Jochen Doppelhammer, Chief Operating Officer at Maisa AI, believes AI will fundamentally reshape leadership. He predicts that by 2030, leaders will take on two key roles: overseeing AI agents as "digital factory knowledge workers" and defining the strategic direction of AI-powered operations.
"The ubiquity of AI agents and digital workers will introduce significant risks – if not implemented properly, businesses could face financial losses, reputational damage, and operational inefficiencies. This will drive boards to act swiftly by introducing new leadership and expert positions, such as specialized AI governance roles, to mitigate risks and ensure robust oversight of these autonomous agents."
Doppelhammer also warned that the proliferation of AI agents would reshape organizational structures. Success will depend on those who can effectively orchestrate AI agents versus those who are orchestrated by them.
He also told Cybernews that middle managers would likely become specialist staff members or Individual Contributors (ICS) needed to operate and oversee autonomous agents instead of managing people. This shift will start in the early adopter tech sector and gradually expand to other industries.
"Ultimately, leadership will remain crucial in setting vision, objectives and driving innovation."
The reality of self-managed teams
While AI and self-management are changing leadership dynamics, Alfred Newman, Chief Innovation Officer at VividQ, believes that the core principles of leadership and project management remain as crucial as ever.
"I'm a huge believer in self-managed teams, especially when you have a highly skilled and engaged workforce, and it's something that we try to have as much as possible at VividQ."
Newman shared how, in his experience, this leads to a change in how project management is delivered rather than the function becoming obsolete.
"Oftentimes, when you give teams self-determination of how they want management processes to work, they still want clear leadership and decision-making, and it doesn't devolve into everything a committee decides.
"The role has definitely become more distributed and fluid and less hierarchical, but all of the functions of good project management remain as important as ever."
"The role has definitely become more distributed and fluid and less hierarchical, but all of the functions of good project management remain as important as ever,"
Alfred Newman.
Balancing autonomy and structure in product leadership
For Kenny Johnston, Chief Product Officer at Instabug, delivering a cohesive product experience, especially in the complex world of mobile apps, it's essential to empower product teams to operate quickly and independently.
"As leaders, we must structure our teams to make fast decisions and ship effectively, which requires significant investment in shared platforms – such as CI/CD pipelines, app architectures, code contribution guidelines, feedback loops, and observability tools."
Johnston also spoke of the importance of fostering independence by defining clear ownership of product direction and codebases while actively resolving conflicts and dependencies.
"Leadership in this new world is about setting a vision, aligning teams to that vision, and unblocking them to make independent decisions – all while maintaining just enough oversight to ensure the product stays cohesive for your users and on course for your vision."
Despite the scary headlines around AI risks and the rise of AGI, it's clear that the mood is much more optimistic in the conversations we had with industry experts. The message is clear: leadership isn't disappearing – it's evolving.
AI and self-managed teams won't eliminate project managers, but they will redefine their roles, making strategic oversight, vision-setting, and problem-solving more important than ever.
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