Project management in 2026 is entering a new era. Artificial intelligence is no longer hype, expectations around project management software are higher and performance is increasingly volatile.
Following on from our 2025 report on project management statistics, the 2026 data shows how quickly priorities have shifted, particularly around AI investment, software capability and project visibility. This year’s project management statistics reveal not only where the industry stands but how maturity, governance and leadership are distinguishing high-performing organisations from the rest of the profession.
Project Management Software
In 2026, project management software is no longer about simple adoption, it is about capability, intelligence and integration. Spreadsheet use continues to decline, yet reporting inefficiencies and visibility gaps remain persistent. AI has now overtaken broader digital transformation initiatives as the primary driver of investment in project management tools.
- 14% of project teams are still using Microsoft Excel for project planning.
- 11% of project teams do not have any project management solution at all.
- Lack of appropriate software is cited as one of the largest project management challenges.
- Project managers earning £70,000+ are significantly less likely than those earning £35,000 or less to believe technology is already impacting project delivery.
- AI is now the leading reason businesses invest in new PM software. More than half of buyers (55%) say adding AI was the top trigger for their most recent purchase
- Half of organisations do not have access to real time KPIs.
- Price, functionality and ease of use are the most important factors for project teams when selecting software.
- 39% of project managers are dissatisfied with PM software due to missing features.
2025 vs 2026
While 2025 investment centred on digital transformation, 2026 purchasing decisions are now shaped by AI capability and roadmap alignment. Project teams have reduced their reliance on spreadsheets, showing gradual movement away from legacy planning tools, however the proportion of organisations without any PM solution remains unchanged at 11%, highlighting persistent adoption gaps.
Project Management and AI
Artificial intelligence in project management has moved into a more mature operational phase in 2026. The hype has faded and organisations are now focusing on measurable impact and structured implementation. While confidence in AI’s benefits is high, the primary barriers have shifted from resistance to change toward knowledge gaps and risk management.
- 47% of respondents agree that AI is currently having an impact on project management and their organisations.
- Project professionals report automation of routine tasks as the most significant impact of AI (27%) followed by improved data-driven decision-making (17%) and the generation of additional valuable insights (11%).
- When asked about the single biggest barrier to wider scale AI adoption within the project management profession the top 3 answers were a lack of understanding of the benefits of using AI within the profession (32%), fear of data breaches (14%), a lack of, or inadequate, regulation on the usage of AI (11%).
- One third of high performing organisations spend more than 20% of their digital budget on AI.
- Inaccuracy is the AI-related risk that respondents most often say their organisations have experienced and are working to mitigate.
- 66% of people use AI regularly and 83% believe the use of AI will result in a wide range of benefits.
2025 vs 2026
In 2025, the primary barrier to AI adoption was resistance to change (26%). In 2026, that barrier has shifted to lack of understanding (32%), reflecting a move from cultural hesitation to capability gaps. Investment depth has also increased, with a third of high-performing organisations now committing over 20% of digital budgets to AI initiatives.
Project Management and Performance
Project performance data in 2026 presents a complex picture. While half of projects are classified as successful, volatility during project delivery remains common. Governance around defining success has improved, yet reporting inefficiencies and limited KPI visibility access continue to limit project success rates.
- 13% of projects are rated as failures.
- Only 50% of projects are deemed as successful, with 37% considered a mix of success and failure.
- 86% of projects define success criteria upfront.
- Nearly 45% of projects deemed successful were at risk at some point before completion.
- 68% of project professionals mostly or always actively use a project schedule.
- 42% spend one day or more manually collating reports.
- 50% of organisations do not have access to real-time KPIs.
2025 vs 2026
Project failure rates have increased from 12% in 2025 to 13% in 2026, reinforcing ongoing delivery instability. Despite clearer success definition, real-time KPI access has not improved and manual reporting remains unchanged, suggesting visibility challenges continue to limit performance maturity.
Project Professionals
The project profession remains optimistic in 2026, but structural challenges are increasingly visible. Satisfaction levels are strong and demand remains healthy, yet pay disparity and diversity perceptions highlight ongoing equality challenges.
- The gender pay gap has widened to 35%.
- The salary threshold where men begin to out-earn women has increased from £53,000 to £63,000.
- London and international markets continue to command the highest salaries.
- The East of England and South East trail behind London salary levels.
- 58% of ethnic minority project managers believe the profession is diverse.
- 80% of project managers report being satisfied in their current role.
- 82% feel optimistic about the availability of quality project management jobs.
- Construction remains the largest sector project professionals (14%), followed by defence (10%), consultancy (10%) and energy/utilities (10%).
2025 vs 2026
While our 2025 report centred on hybrid methodologies and project management skills, 2026 data focuses on widening pay disparity with the gender pay gap reaching 35%. Job satisfaction remains consistently strong and construction continues to lead employment across the profession.
Conclusion
2026 marks a pivotal year for project management. AI is no longer experimental, software expectations are higher and delivery volatility is more visible than ever. While organisations are becoming more digitally and technically capable, gaps remain in reporting, governance and workforce equality.
These project management trends show that high-performing organisations are distinguished not just by the tools they use but by how effectively they integrate technology, define success and manage risk. Those who combine intelligent technology with strong governance and inclusive workforce practices will set the benchmark for the future of project management.
Sources
Capterra – More than Half of Project Managers Find AI-powered Software Benefits in Three Key Ways
McKinsey – State of AI in 2025
Plaky Project Management Statistics
PMI – Step Up: Redefining the Path to Project Success with M.O.R.E
Wellingtone – State of Project Management 2025
About Proteus
Proteus developed by a Scottish-based tech company, Xergy Group, is an end-to-end project management solution developed for the energy and engineering consulting industries.
Proteus is industry-proven and enables consultancies to meet project demands across the full lifecycle, from proposal development to project delivery. With robust sales and project delivery modules, Proteus helps its customers win more business, increase efficiencies, manage expenditures, and improve project controls.
Critical workflows, automation, and controls are integrated into Proteus. These include opportunity evaluation, proposal building, resource planning, budget tracking and forecasting, real-time multi-level restricted dashboards, and project performance analytics.
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