Artificial Intelligence in Project Management: Insights from Croatia

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has become integral to everyday life, extending its influence into various business aspects. The concept of AI in Project Management (PM) has been discussed since the 1980s, portraying AI as a tool with the potential to expedite, optimize, and enhance project management, aiding decision-making processes. Project management is a pivotal process in nearly every organization, and integrating AI into this process can offer numerous advantages, such as heightened efficiency, precision, speed in decision-making, and improved risk assessment. Data from Eurostat in 2020 indicates that only 6% of businesses in Croatia used some form of AI in their operations, reflecting the limited adoption of this technology in the business sector. This paper explores the current state of AI application in project management in Croatia, exploring both perceived benefits and barriers. A survey conducted in Croatia with 115 respondents revealed that currently, only 29.1% of correspondents utilize some form of AI in project management. Unsurprisingly, AI is predominantly used in the IT industry (52%), followed by the educational sector (28%) and the healthcare sector (4%).