The project management software marketplace is filled with AI tools that can automate tasks, optimize workflows, and ultimately make the complex terrain of project management more navigable.
Can generative AI tools replace all your existing project management processes? No, but they have the potential to save you almost three hours every week, according to Harvard Business Review.
Here’s an overview of AI project management tools, with tips on how to leverage them for project success.
Quick look: Best AI PM tools
| Tool name | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Notion | Auto-creating docs and synthesizing workspace info | Starting at $10 per month |
| Trello | Instantly generating action items and summaries | Starting at $10 per month |
| ClickUp | AI-prioritized tasks and dynamic timelines | Starting at $7 per month |
| Smartsheet | Formula building and spreadsheet data insights | Starting at $9 per month |
| Monday.com | Complex multi-step workflow automations | Starting at $9 per month |
| Asana | Smart timelines and task recommendations | Starting at $10.99 per month |
| Wrike | Predicting project risks for enterprises | Starting at $10 per month |
| Jira | Drafting Agile tickets and release notes | Starting at $7.53 per month |
| Microsoft Planner | Generating status decks and risk reports | Starting at $30 per month |
| Zoho Projects | Suggesting workflows on tight budgets | Starting at $4 per month |
| Motion | Auto time-blocking and schedule reshuffling | Starting at $29 per month |
What to look for in the best AI-powered project management tool
You have a lot of choices when it comes to project management tools, and many of them have consistent baseline features. Generating and summarizing texts, editing texts, and automating simple tasks are all table stakes.
With all of the recent advancements, it should come as no surprise that the global AI project management industry boasts a 16.7% annual growth rate, and the sector is projected to be worth $11.2 billion by 2033.
Here’s what to look for beyond the basics:
- Automation. How sophisticated are the tool’s automation capabilities? AI-powered solutions should automate repetitive tasks, such as meeting scheduling, time tracking, budget tracking, and sending meeting recaps or status updates.
- Predictive analytics. AI algorithms can provide predictive insights into project timelines, resource allocation, project budgeting, and potential project risks.
- Scheduling. An AI project manager can create efficient and realistic project schedules, even when a balancing act is necessary. It can consider competing factors such as task dependencies, planned time off (like employee vacations), and workload balancing.
- Easy integrations. Look for compatibility with the software you’re already using. This might include your customer relationship management software, enterprise resource planning software, email server, or cloud storage provider. The goal is to avoid siloed workflows.
- Virtual assistance. AI-powered virtual assistants can answer questions and offer suggestions. For example, you could ask an AI assistant to recall when a task is due or to pull information out of meeting notes.
- Anomaly detection. AI algorithms can identify patterns and detect anomalies in project data, such as budget overruns or missed deadlines, alerting project managers to potential issues.
Comparing the best AI project management tools
From task prioritization and project scheduling to inter-team communication, a project management tool with AI integration can revolutionize the way you work.
Here are a few tools that can help you manage projects more efficiently and ultimately see them through to success.
1. Notion
Notion is a workspace tool with productivity functionality including task lists and progress tracking. Notion’s interface is a blank canvas, and its flexibility allows businesses and teams to use it for both project management and documentation.
Notion’s AI assistant (which you have to purchase as an add-on) can help with tasks like generating documentation,and it can also automate follow-ups, status updates, and data entry. It can find and synthesize information from all of your Notion docs, plus integrated apps like Slack and Google Drive.
Pros:
- AI assistant can pull context from Slack, Drive, or any Notion page.
- Large template library and add-ons.
Cons:
- Have to pay extra for using AI features.
- Open-ended structure may overwhelm some users.
Pricing: Notion’s paid plans start at $10 per user, per month, and there’s a limited free version for small teams working on simpler projects. You’ll need to pay an additional $8 per user, per month to use Notion AI.
2. Trello
Known for its easy-to-use user interface, Trello is owned by the software company Atlassian, which has an AI tool integrated with Trello. Trello’s AI tool has fairly basic capabilities but is very easy to use.
It can help with many tasks including:
- Speeding up task assignment by auto-generating action items
- Easing you out of a creative block with brainstorming assistance
- Helping you improve your written communication with grammar checks
- Summarizing notes and other text blocks
Pros:
- Intuitive Kanban UI has a near-zero learning curve.
- Useful free tier for task boards.
Cons:
- Limited reporting and time-tracking.
- AI features only available on Premium plan.
Pricing: Like a few other project management tools, Trello offers a free plan that might be sufficient for managing more basic project tasks. Paid plans start at $5 per user, per month, but the Atlassian AI features kick in at the $10 per user, per month tier.
3. ClickUp
ClickUp is a highly customizable project management software designed to help you tackle multiple projects simultaneously. Plus, it features an in-app chat feature to help you streamline your team’s project-based communication.
ClickUp’s AI can write and edit, but it can also help you prioritize tasks, create project timelines, create subtasks, and monitor project progress without constant human intervention. It can also help scan and summarize project documents.
Pros:
- Highly customizable views (list, board, Gantt)
- In-app chat and docs.
- AI writes, summarizes, and prioritizes tasks.
Cons:
- AI is available with usage limits.
- Steep learning curve with breadth of features.
Pricing: ClickUp pricing starts at $7 per user, per month. There’s also a “free forever” tier that doesn’t include AI compatibility.
4. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is known for its spreadsheet-style data visualization capabilities, which are easy to configure—no coding required. The software’s AI can help you generate formulas, produce text summaries, analyze data, and get answers to your Smartsheet-related questions.
Pros:
- Familiar interface for Excel and Google Sheets users.
- AI formula builder cuts setup time.
Cons:
- Slightly outdated UI compared to other tools.
- Limited native chat and team collaboration tools.
Pricing: Smartsheet’s pricing begins at $9 per user, per month.
5. Monday.com
Monday.com is a management software that provides tailored solutions for different types of teams—from sales to IT to marketing. Its project management software can handle deadline tracking, project performance analytics, task assignment (which you can automate), and predictive analytics.
Monday.com’s AI tool provides text generation, information summarization, and data categorization. It also offers translation and sentiment analysis. Beyond that, it excels at automations, with the ability to execute sophisticated multi-step workflows.
Pros:
- Powerful, multi-step automations and integrations.
- AI offers translation, sentiment analysis, and text generation.
- Dozens of templates by use case.
Cons:
- 500 AI credits are included on paid plans.
Pricing: Monday.com offers a free Personal tier, and extended functionality starts with the software’s paid tiers, which begin at $9 per user, per month.
6. Asana
Asana is a beloved project management tool whose feature suite includes scheduling, progress monitoring, task automation, smart recommendations for project tasks, and prioritization based on project data. Its AI can automate task distribution, generate timelines, and help with resource planning by generating allocation summaries.
Like other AI assistants, it also writes content and generates reports. It also can act as an intelligent assistant—you simply ask it questions related to a project, and it will serve a plain-English answer.
Pros:
- Clean UI and a useful mobile app.
- AI timelines and smart task recommendations.
- Rich ecosystem of integrations (Slack, Salesforce).
Cons:
- AI is only available on paid tiers.
- No time tracking features.
Pricing: Asana offers a free option, but its AI tools are available in its paid tiers, which start at $10.99 per user, per month.
7. Wrike
Wrike stands out from other AI project management tools for its emphasis on security and customizability. This makes it a strong choice for large organizations with complicated projects and lots of intellectual property to protect.
Wrike’s AI-powered Work Intelligence tool can predict your project risks. Like other AI project management tools, it automates repetitive tasks and doles out task assignments to team members based on historical data.
Pros:
- Large variety of task management tools.
- Good free plan for small projects.
- Beginner-friendly interface.
Cons:
- Costly add-ons.
- Limited support options.
Pricing: Wrike’s free plan offers only one AI feature (smart search). Paid plans with access to most AI tools start at $10 per user, per month.
8. Jira
Jira, by Atlassian, is a project management favorite among software development teams that work within the agile framework. Its many features include project boards, auto-updating calendars, automated workflows, goal tracking, and dashboards that give everyone access to the team’s projects.
Jira’s Atlassian AI integration helps you summarize text and generate context-based communications. It can also help you automate repetitive tasks like breaking down large projects into subtasks.
Pros:
- Best-in-class for Agile workflows.
- AI drafts tickets, summaries, and release notes.
- Integration with Bitbucket, GitHub, and Confluence.
Cons:
- Over-featured for less technical users.
- AI focuses more on text than on planning and resource leveling.
Pricing: Jira offers a free plan for teams of 10 or less, and the software’s paid plans start at $7.53 per user, per month (for up to 50,000 users).
9. Microsoft Planner
If you’re a Microsoft power user, you may appreciate the AI functionality of Microsoft Planner, a powerful project management software. Planner leverages Microsoft’s Power BI visualization tool to help you view project statuses, create automated workflows, and save progress in Azure, Microsoft’s enterprise cloud computing platform.
Microsoft Planner integrates with the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant, which can help complete tasks at a higher level than those offered in many competing tools.
For example, it can help you:
- Conduct risk assessments and generate mitigation strategies
- Create detailed status reports
- Make work breakdown structures for a large project
Pros:
- Scheduling, critical path, and resource tools.
- Copilot AI generates status decks, risk analyses, and more.
- Integration with Microsoft 365 and Power BI.
Cons:
- Highest entry price.
Pricing: Microsoft Planner with AI functionality starts at $30 per month, or you can buy the software for $679.
10. Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects boasts a low price point, an easy-to-use interface, and a mobile app. Zia, Zoho’s AI assistant, offers similar functionality to other basic tools. It can analyze project history to suggest workflows, answer questions about your project and schedule, and perform tasks like scheduling events or changing task priorities.
Pros:
- Budget friendly option.
- Zia AI suggests workflows and schedule tweaks.
- Mobile app and integration with Zoho suite.
Cons:
- Less polished interface compared to other apps.
- Limited integrations outside of Zoho ecosystem.
Pricing: Zoho’s free plan lets you manage two projects, but you’ll need a paid plan (starting at $4 per user, per month) to access the software’s AI tools.
11. Motion
Motion is an AI-first productivity platform that rolls tasks, projects, calendars, docs, and meeting notes into one workplace. Its standout "AI Project Manager" lets you describe a project in plain language and instantly generates tasks, deadlines, assignees, and stages.
Once your plan is live, Motion's AI Calendar Assistant time-blocks every task onto each teammate's calendar and reshuffles priorities when schedules change. A note-taking tool also captures transcripts, action items, and follow-up emails automatically so everyone can keep work moving smoothly.
Pros:
- Build full plans from a prompt.
- Auto time-blocks and re-plans instantly.
Cons:
- Higher starting price.
- Smaller app ecosystem than legacy platforms.
Pricing: Try Motion free. Paid plans start at $29 per seat, per month.
AI project management software FAQ
What do AI project management tools do?
Almost all AI project management tools can generate and summarize text, edit content, and automate simple tasks. More advanced tools go further by automating complex workflows, generating detailed reports, conducting in-depth analysis, and acting as virtual assistants that can instantly fetch project data.
Will AI in project management replace human managers?
Artificial intelligence is not expected to replace project managers anytime soon. Instead, AI tools support project managers by automating tedious tasks and reducing human error. While AI can make mistakes, it performs best when paired with human oversight, forming a feedback loop that guides AI toward more accurate, reliable outputs. Ultimately, AI helps project managers become more efficient—not obsolete.
Which AI is best for project management?
The best AI-driven project management tool depends on your business size, budget, and project complexity. Top options include Notion, Monday, and ClickUp. Compare features and pricing, and try free plans to see which platform fits your needs best.
