Status of Project Controls & The Future with AI

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Status of Project Controls & The Future with AI

 

Reflections from a session with Roche Diagnostics

Today, I had the opportunity to deliver a session to Roche Diagnostics, sharing a holistic view on the current state of Project Controls and its future in an AI-enabled world.

The discussion reinforced a simple but powerful reality:

Project Controls is no longer just a reporting function — it is a strategic enabler of delivery certainty.

What is Project Controls — and Why Does It Matter?

At its core, Project Controls is about:

Providing the right information, to the right stakeholders, at the right time — to enable the right decisions.

It brings together planning, cost, risk, change, and performance management into a structured framework that ensures:

  • Predictability in outcomes
  • Transparency in performance
  • Accountability in delivery

In increasingly complex environments — such as pharma, infrastructure, and energy — this capability is not optional. It is fundamental to successful project delivery.

Drivers Behind the Rise of Project Controls

The growing importance of Project Controls is not accidental. It is driven by:

  • Increasing project complexity and scale
  • Demand for governance and assurance
  • Pressure on cost, schedule, and outcomes
  • Need for data-driven decision-making

Organisations are no longer asking “Do we need Project Controls?” They are asking: “How mature and effective is our Project Controls capability?”

Evolution of the Discipline

Project Controls has evolved significantly:

  • Past: Siloed reporting functions
  • Present: Integrated performance management
  • Future: Decision intelligence capability

We are moving from descriptive reporting to predictive and prescriptive insight — a shift that is redefining expectations from the function.

Global Standardisation — Progress and Gaps

There have been meaningful efforts globally to formalise Project Controls through:

  • Professional bodies and frameworks
  • Apprenticeships and competency standards
  • Industry-specific methodologies

However, challenges remain:

  • Inconsistent application across sectors
  • Lack of a globally recognised maturity model
  • Variability in tools, processes, and data structures

Standardisation is improving — but we are still on the journey.

AI in Project Controls — Hype vs Reality

AI is often positioned as a disruptor. In reality, it is better understood as an accelerator.

At a fundamental level:

  • AI (including LLMs) supports pattern recognition, data handling, and communication
  • Quantitative models (risk, estimating, scheduling) remain the backbone of the discipline

AI’s relevance to Project Controls lies in its ability to:

  • Automate data collection and structuring
  • Enhance data integration across systems
  • Enable faster insight generation and reporting
  • Improve decision support through scenario analysis

However, one principle remains unchanged:

“Garbage in, garbage out.”

Without clean, structured, and integrated data, AI will simply amplify noise.

Skills for the Future Project Controls Professional

As the discipline evolves, so must the skillset.

Future Project Controls professionals will need to combine:

  • Strong quantitative capability (core discipline)
  • Data literacy and digital fluency
  • Ability to interpret and challenge AI outputs
  • Commercial and strategic thinking
  • Stakeholder engagement and communication

The role is shifting from analyst → advisor → decision enabler.

Human + AI Partnership — The Way Forward

The future of Project Controls is not Human vs AI. It is Human + AI.

  • AI brings speed, scale, and processing power
  • Humans bring judgement, context, and accountability

Together, they create a capability that is:

More informed, more proactive, and more impactful.

Closing Reflection

The session with Roche Diagnostics highlighted that organisations are ready to embrace this shift — but success will depend on getting the fundamentals right:

  • Integrated data architecture
  • Clear governance and standards
  • Investment in capability and skills

Project Controls has always been about enabling better decisions.

With AI, we now have the opportunity to do this faster, deeper, and at scale.

The question is no longer if this transformation will happen — but how effectively we prepare for it.

Here is the copy of full presentation if interested.

Author

Anil Godhawale, Ieng, CCP, PSP
CEO and Founder, Project Controls Expo