The current research aims at pondering the interplay of organizational AI-driven digital maturity (AIM) and AI-driven project management enhanced efficiency (AEF) through the lens of the project manager’s (PM) digital knowledge (DGK), business acumen (BSA) and technical acumen (WPM). It thus sets out to explore how the digital infrastructure and individual knowledge and acumen interact toward achieving greater efficiency in the field of project management by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
A cross-sectional survey with 186 key informants from eight European countries (from project managers to senior executives with relevant experience in project management) was carried out. Structural equation modeling by means of SmartPLS 4 was employed to assess the proposed conceptual and structural model.
The empirical examination proved that organizational AIM has a positive effect on the PM’s DGK and on the AEF. Additionally, the PM’s BSA positively impacts their DGK and technical acumen (WPM), while the latter closes the loop by positively influencing AEF. Consequently, the results underscore the conclusion that digital transformation should not be perceived just as a technological change but as capability-driven and context-dependent dynamics.
The findings indicate that organizational investments in digital maturity and AI foster human capital development in terms of DGK, therefore strengthening the adaptive capabilities of project managers in the AI era while enhancing efficiency.
