Artificial Intelligence

In this episode, Ricardo reflects on reactions to his newsletter about project management in the age of AI. He stresses that he is not predicting the future but encouraging professionals to question assumptions and prepare for rapid change. Although some readers considered his views alarmist, he argues that learning AI carries little downside: even if its impact is smaller than expected, new skills remain valuable.

In this episode, Ricardo reflects on how many project managers have shifted from managing projects to merely reacting to urgent matters. Their daily routines are consumed by meetings, messages, emails, and immediate issues, creating a sense of heavy workload but little actual progress. According to him, managing projects means reducing uncertainty, whereas managing anxiety amounts to nothing more than reacting to chaos.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the new PMP certification exam. He explains that updating the exam is a natural progression, as project management has evolved with artificial intelligence, agile methods, distributed teams, and new challenges. He highlights that the PMP exam has always prioritized the ability to analyze situations, make decisions, lead teams, and deliver value, rather than simply memorizing concepts.

In this episode, Ricardo challenges whether traditional two-week Agile sprints still make sense in an era where AI agents can develop, test, review, and improve software in minutes. While Agile principles such as collaboration, adaptability, and customer focus remain essential, their execution may need to evolve.

In this episode, Ricardo presents three practical applications of AI agents in project management. Unlike tools that only answer questions, these agents act autonomously, monitoring information and executing tasks. The first example is the risk agent, capable of identifying problems in messages, classifying their severity, updating records, and suggesting responses.

In this episode, Ricardo questions the effectiveness of traditional project planning tools, based on static plans. Although fundamental for decades, these plans quickly become obsolete in dynamic environments. He highlights that Artificial Intelligence transforms this scenario by allowing continuous forecasting and real-time adjustments, replacing fixed estimates with dynamic, data-driven analyses.

In this article, Ricardo Vargas  and João Jacinto examine how the AI debate is shifting from technology to governance, investment, infrastructure, and risk management. Drawing on project management principles from the PMBOK® Guide, they argue that sustainable competitive advantage in AI will depend less on enthusiasm and more on disciplined governance, portfolio management, and strategic execution. Oracle is cited as an example of the operational and financial pressures created by large-scale AI investments.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses how artificial intelligence is transforming project management by moving beyond being just a tool and becoming an active agent in decision-making and execution. He highlights the emergence of new, unpredictable, and difficult-to-control risks that can arise from the interaction between systems. He also emphasizes concerns about manipulation and cybersecurity, since AI can both protect and attack.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the growing use of AI agents in projects and highlights an essential point: decisions can be automated, but responsibility remains human. Tools such as collaborative platforms and automation engines already perform tasks, prioritize activities, and interact with stakeholders autonomously. Despite their efficiency, there is an illusion that responsibility can also be transferred to AI, which is not true.

In this episode, Ricardo explains the difference between Generative AI, AI Agents, and Agentic AI—topics that are widely discussed but often misunderstood. He draws on a clear explanation by Filipa Peleja, presented during the O’Reilly Super Stream on Generative AI. Generative AI, based on large language models, responds to prompts and produces text, ideas, and analysis, but it has no initiative, goals, or independent decision-making.

In this episode, Ricardo reflects on his participation at CES 2026 through the lens of project management, highlighting a structural shift rather than new gadgets. Using LEGO’s smart bricks as an analogy, he explains how projects today extend, not replace, traditional foundations by integrating data, AI, and digital capabilities.

In this final episode of 2025, Ricardo proposes a reflection on changes that will profoundly impact projects in 2026. He presents five central insights:

In this episode, Ricardo looks back at the year in projects with a mature and deeply reflective perspective, focusing on the lessons learned. He describes an intense year, marked by strong pressure for results, shorter deadlines, and increasingly tight budgets, where good planning ceased to be a differentiator and became a matter of survival. Execution took center stage, and mistakes became more costly.

In this episode, Ricardo wraps up the discussion on the PMBOK Guide 8th Edition by highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in project management. PMI included AI in Appendix X3, presenting three adoption strategies: automation (making tasks faster), assistance (AI as a partner helping with scheduling and resources), and augmentation (expanding managers’ capabilities and decision-making).