Cutting Through the Noise: Introduction to the AI Learning Series for Project Professionals
Core Sessions
The first three sessions form the foundation of the series and are designed to be delivered in sequence.
Session 1 — Cutting Through the Noise
Core / Introductory · 1 hour
Every PM has heard that AI will transform the profession. Far fewer have a clear, honest picture of what that actually means for the work in front of them. This opening session is designed to cut through the marketing, the fear, and the buzzwords to establish a common, practical foundation for everything that follows.
We will define what an “AI project” really is (and what it is not), separate the genuine capabilities from the hype cycle, and look at why so many AI initiatives stall — usually for reasons that have nothing to do with the model itself. Most importantly, attendees will leave with a shared vocabulary and a calm, realistic frame of reference, so the rest of the series can build on solid ground.
Participants will be able to:
- Distinguish real AI capabilities from hype, and describe in plain language what an AI project involves.
- Recognize the common reasons AI initiatives fail — and why most of them are project and people issues, not technology issues.
- Apply a shared vocabulary and frame of reference for evaluating AI opportunities within their own organizations.
PMI Southwest Ohio Chapter members may attend this event at no cost. Please register as a guest and use promo code NEO5 to waive the fee.
About the Series Cutting Through the Noise: An AI Learning Series for Project Professionals
Artificial intelligence is moving from headline to job requirement. Project managers are increasingly being asked to scope, sponsor, govern, and deliver initiatives that include an AI component — often before they have had a chance to build a grounded understanding of what these initiatives actually involve. The result is a familiar pattern: high expectations, a great deal of noise, and projects that stall because the conversation never moved past the hype.
This proposal outlines a progressive learning series designed specifically for the project professional. Rather than treating AI as a technology lecture, the series builds awareness, then literacy, then practical competence — always anchored in the project management fundamentals and PMI frameworks the chapter’s members already trust. The goal is not to turn PMs into data scientists. It is to help them recognize an AI opportunity, ask the right questions, align stakeholders, and lead the delivery of AI capabilities that produce measurable organizational value.
The series is structured as three core sessions that establish a shared foundation, a set of optional deep-dive sessions the chapter can select from based on member interest, and a capstone full-day workshop. Sessions are modular: the chapter can run the full program or select the pieces that best fit its calendar and audience.
Speakers
