In 2025, project managers and PMO leaders should watch six connected developments: AI entering everyday project work, continued use of hybrid delivery, greater pressure to demonstrate portfolio value, scrutiny of technology portfolios, changing skills needs, and sustainability planning linked to AI. The evidence is a collection of reports and research summaries—not a single authoritative ranking—and it describes signals and expectations, not a universal forecast.
1. AI is moving into ordinary project work
AI is appearing in discussions of routine project tasks as well as broader strategy. A 2025-and-beyond overview from the PMI Sweden Chapter identifies AI-powered virtual assistants, data-driven decision-making, AI-enhanced collaboration tools, changing project roles and skills, and AI agents as areas to watch. Read the PMI Sweden Chapter overview.
That list points to possible uses, not proof that teams have broadly adopted them or that they produce a measured productivity gain. For a project team, the practical test is whether an AI feature improves a defined task—such as finding information or supporting coordination—while fitting the team’s data, review, and governance requirements.
2. Predictive, agile, and hybrid delivery will continue to coexist
PMI’s Pulse of the Profession 2024 reports that the share of respondents using hybrid approaches rose from 20% in 2020 to 31.5% in 2023, which PMI describes as a 57% increase. That is a relative increase in the reported share, not a rise of 57 percentage points. Predictive approaches remained the most common in 2023. See PMI’s report.
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The same report records expectations about the following five years: 76% of respondents expected their organization’s agile use to increase, and 73% expected hybrid use to increase. These are respondents’ expectations, not observed outcomes or guarantees of future adoption.
Choose the approach to fit the work
| Approach | Useful when | What to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Predictive | Requirements and sequencing are relatively stable. | Prioritize predictability and defined governance; frequent changes may require formal replanning. |
| Agile | Learning and feedback can shape the work as it progresses. | Frequent feedback supports adaptation; the team still needs clear goals and decision authority. |
| Hybrid | Some parts need structured planning while others benefit from iterative delivery. | Set clear boundaries for what is planned predictively and what can change, so governance and feedback cadence do not conflict. |
No approach is best for every project. Consider how much change is likely, how quickly stakeholders can give useful feedback, and what oversight the work requires.
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3. Portfolio leaders face more pressure to show value
Gartner’s May 2025 trends abstract identifies technology rationalization, financial scrutiny, and talent gaps as challenges for program and portfolio management leaders. Its July 2025 PPM Hype Cycle abstract says disruption and business agility are driving the evolution of the practice and calls for adaptive approaches that demonstrate value. Gartner’s 2025 PPM trends abstract and Gartner’s PPM Hype Cycle abstract provide the public summaries; the full research is not reproduced in those abstracts.
For portfolio teams, this makes the connection between project activity and business value especially important. Explain what outcome a project is intended to support, how progress will be assessed, and what evidence would justify continuing, changing, or stopping the work. The Gartner summaries identify the pressure; they do not establish one universal measurement method.
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4. Technology rationalization is a portfolio-management question
Technology rationalization is one of the challenges Gartner names for PPM leaders in its May 2025 abstract. That does not establish that all organizations are consolidating their tools, or point to a winning product. The useful question is whether the tools and processes around project work support timely decisions without unnecessary duplication.
When reviewing a portfolio of tools, assess whether information reaches the people who need it, whether the systems support meaningful decisions and governance, and whether overlapping tools solve a real coordination problem. A change is worthwhile only if it improves the work enough to justify transition and integration costs.
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5. Skills and hiring needs deserve attention
Gartner’s June 2025 hiring abstract says its research covers global demand, market salary, and skills, but its public summary does not provide detailed estimates. It therefore supports treating skills and hiring as topics for attention, not attaching a specific demand or salary forecast to project managers. See Gartner’s hiring trends abstract.
PMI’s Megatrends 2024 discusses workplace reinvention, skill disruption, and growing needs for AI and green skills. Read PMI’s report. For managers, the practical response is to identify capability gaps in their own projects and teams rather than assume one set of skills or hiring conditions applies everywhere.
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6. Sustainability is being linked with AI strategy
In an April 2025 report, PMI connects AI and sustainability work with leadership capability, data foundations, and strategic alignment. PMI reports three comparisons between groups it labels “Leaders” and “Laggards”:
- 64% of Leaders versus 15% of Laggards said leadership was fully prepared with the skills needed to use AI effectively for sustainability initiatives.
- 51% of Leaders versus 16% of Laggards prioritized AI-driven sustainability by embedding it in core strategy.
- 45% of Leaders versus 20% of Laggards were very confident in their data readiness.
These are comparisons reported by PMI, not evidence that one practice caused another or that the figures describe every organization. PMI’s report page says that skilled project leaders, strong data foundations, and strategic alignment are key to scaling impact. Read PMI’s sustainability and AI report.
For a project, connect sustainability aims to the organization’s strategy, identify what data is needed to evaluate progress, and ensure leaders and teams have the capabilities to use AI appropriately. Without those foundations, an AI initiative can remain disconnected from the sustainability outcome it is meant to support.
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